A New Step
by ninja writer 17
Summary: Book 3 of my trilogy! Sequel to "True Family" which was the sequel to "A New Life" The wedding is on! But with so much to plan and so little time. And when someone from Kazuto's past makes a sudden appearance, what will it mean for the happy couple? Rated T for occasional language.
1. Chapter 1

A New Step

Disclaimer: For the third time in a row, I do not own SAO.

A/N: This is it. The final book in my SAO trilogy. I hope you've all enjoyed it so far, and I hope you enjoy this final story.

Chapter 1: The Big Announcement

Asuna awoke with a smile on her face as she glanced at the diamond ring on her finger. She still couldn't quite believe that just last night, Kazuto proposed to her.

Asuna snapped back into reality when Kazuto began to shift and sit up, "Morning." He said with a yawn.

Asuna grinned, "Morning, Fiancée." She told him, causing him to crack a smile as well.

A few hours later, and the couple had invited all friends and family to the Dicey Café for an announcement. Everyone was sitting in booths and tables when Asuna and Kazuto, holding hands, stood in front of the bar, "We have big news everyone!" Kazuto said, before allowing Asuna to finish.

Her smile grew, "Kirito and I... Are getting married!" She said as she held up her left hand to show off her new ring.

The whole Café erupted in cheers and applause. The first to go up to Asuna was her parents, "Congratulations, dear." Kyouko said.

"I'm happy for you baby." Shouzou added.

Then Liz came up to her, "This is so great!" She said as she took Liz's hands. She was telling a half truth. She really was happy for her best friend, but she also can't help but feel a small pang of jealousy.

Asuna smiled, "I know! This is all just so incredible!" She exclaimed. Liz laughed with her friend.

Kazuto, meanwhile, was approached by Suguha, "So, now I finally get to have a sister." She joked with a chuckle, "I'm kidding, congrats Kazuto."

Kazuto snickered, "Thanks, Suguha." He then heaved a big sigh, "I just can't believe it...this feels so much different from when I proposed to her in SAO."

Midori walked up to him, "That's because, as real as it may have seemed in there, it just can't compare to the real world."

Kazuto smiled and nodded, "Yeah, you're right. And thanks for the ring. It's the best thing that's happened to me and Asuna since Yui."

Midori smiled warmly, "Well, my sister always wanted you to have it. She knew you'd use it well."

Yui walked up to Asuna, "I thought you and Daddy were already married." She told her mother.

Asuna knelt down, "It's a little complicated, Yui. Daddy and I are married in ALfheim, but we're not in this world." She then showed Yui the ring, "This means that, in a few months, Daddy and I will be married in this world too!"

Yui smiled, "Wow! This sounds like it's gonna be fun." She said.

When Midori went over to Asuna, Keiko noticed the small amount of jealousy in Rika's eyes and walked over to her, "Still upset that he got with Asuna and not you?" She asked.

Rika shook her head, "I wanna be happy for her, really! But a small part of me still wishes that it was me wearing that ring, ya know?"

Keiko shook her head, "Honestly, no. I've always admired Kazuto more as a brother." She said with a shrug, "Ya know, maybe you'd feel better about all of this if you finally told Asuna about your little crush on Kazuto and talk about it."

Rika sighed, "Yeah...maybe you're right. I'll sleep on it, 'kay?"

A few hours later, Kazuto was driving Asuna and Yui back home to their apartment.

Asuna glanced behind her to see Yui, daydreaming as she looked out the window, "There's so much we have to plan!" She said in a hushed tone, "We need to pick a location, send invites...I need a dress..."

Kazuto placed a hand on her shoulder, "Asuna, relax! We've only been engaged for less than 24 hours. We have plenty of time to figure everything out." He told her.

Asuna smiled, "You're right, I know. I just can't help it! This is all just a dream come true for me."

(A/N: Sorry it's so short guys. It was going to be a bit longer, but I decided to make the rest of it the opening for the second chapter. I feel like I've put you guys through enough of a rollercoaster ride with Takeru and Akechi, so this last book will probably not have a big antagonist. Anyways, Review please!)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Things Turning Up

Once they arrived, Yui dashed through the door like a hurricane. Asuna laughed, "Woah there, Yui!" She said, gaining the girls attention, "What's the rush?"

Yui smiled, "I wanna log on and tell Ryu about your wedding!" She said, earning a chuckle from her parents.

"Alright, just don't stay on for too long. I'm about to start making some lunch." Asuna told her. Yui nodded before running into her parent's room, where the computer was.

Kazuto chuckled, "Sometimes, that girl has too much energy." He said.

Asuna giggled, "She must've gotten that from you." She said teasingly.

Teen Yui awoke not too far from the log cabin. She quickly stood up and summoned Ryu, who appeared in her arms, "Ryu! I have amazing news!" She told the dragon, "Mommy and Daddy are getting married in the real world!" She exclaimed. While Ryu didn't understand, he still displayed enthusiasm for his master. Deciding to go on a quest, she teleported to a village in Spriggan territory and headed over to the mission board. As she browed, she heard a scream coming from a nearby alley, "Come on Ryu!" She said as she rushed towards the noise.

When she arrived, she saw a scrawny female Undine, being bullied by two male Spriggans, one of average build, and the other being rather muscle-bound. The larger one cracked his knuckles, "Relax missy. We won't bite...much." He said menacingly.

The girl trembled in fear, "Please...leave me alone..." Just before the boys could do anything.

Yui stomped her foot, "Knock it off!" She screamed.

The two turned around to see Yui glaring at them, making them both laugh, "Get lost girly, this is man stuff." The average Spriggan said. Ryu began to growl at the two. The average one chuckled, "Oh look, it's getting mad." He said demeaningly.

Without warning, Ryu leapt from Yui's shoulder and bit the man's neck, causing him to fall over as the dragon continued its assault, "AAAH! GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!" He screamed.

The larger one glared at Yui, "Damnit!" He said as he charged with a punch. Yui gracefully flew over him, landing behind the man. She then drew Harmony from its scabbard, and struck the bully with an upward slash. Yui then whistled, which made Ryu finally remove himself from the other Spriggan, who ran beside his comrade.

Yui glared at the two, "It's not fair to attack someone two on one. Leave her alone!" She said as she gripped her sword tighter.

The large grunted, "No one tells me what to do!" He said as he prepared to draw his sword.

"You might wanna rethink that." Came a voice from behind the men. All eyes went towards the voice and revealed it to be Kirito.

The bullies went wide-eyed, "K-k-k-Kirito..." The smaller one said.

"W-what are y-you d-d-doing here?" The larger one asked.

Kirito smirked, "At the moment, I'm watching you two get your asses kicked." He then looked over to Yui, "Nicely done, Yui. I'm impressed."

Yui beamed, "Thanks Daddy!"

The bullies flinched at those words, "D-D-daddy!?" They asked together. There was a brief pause before the two ran away screaming.

Yui sheathed her blade and walked over to the Undine, "Are you ok?" She asked.

The Undine nodded shakily, "Yes...thank you for saving me." She said as she stood up.

Yui smiled, "You're welcome! I'm Yui by the way." She then reached a hand to pet Ryu's head, "And this is my friend, Ryu!" She then gestured to Kirito with her other hand, "And that's my Daddy!" She said.

"Call me Kirito." He told her.

The Undine smiled, "Nice to meet you all. I'm Shiwa. Maybe I'll see you guys sometime." She said as she spread her wings and took off.

Kirito walked over and put a hand on Yui's shoulder, "Come on, your moms got lunch ready."

Yui nodded, "Ok." Then they both logged out. When they arrived at the dining table, Yui told Asuna about how she saved Shiwa from the bullies.

Asuna smiled, "That's amazing Yui! I'm really proud of you." Yui smiled even brighter as she ate her lunch.

Once finished, Kazuto took everything into the kitchen and began to do the dishes, while the girls went to the living room to watch TV. After about ten minutes, the home line started ringing, Asuna picked it up, "Hello?" She said.

" _Hello Asuna,"_ said Ayame, _"Kotori was hoping that Yui could come over to play."_

Asuna smiled as she looked over to Yui, who had heard Ayame and was now using her puppy dog eyes. She giggled before replying, "Sounds great. I'll drop her off in just a bit."

As soon as she put the phone down, Yui ran into her room and put her shoes on before running back in, "I'm ready!" She said energetically.

Asuna couldn't hold back the laugh that came from seeing her so excited as she grabbed the keys, "Kirito, I'm gonna go drop Yui off at Ayame's, I'll be right back." She told him, _"And boy are you in for a surprise when I get back."_ She finished mentally.

After about thirty minutes, Asuna came back to see Kazuto sitting on the couch, watching some action movie he found. Asuna smiled as she walked up behind him and snaked her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, "Hey there, fiancée." She said with a bush and a smile.

Kazuto smiled and turned his head enough to give her a kiss on the cheek as well, "Someone's in a good mood." He pointed out.

Asuna smiled and held him closer, "I'm engaged to the most amazing man I've ever known, of course I'm in a good mood." She then paused before saying, "And I want to give you something special."

This peaked Kazuto's interests, "Like what?" He inquired.

Asuna's blush deepened as she whispered into his ear. Upon hearing what she had said, Kazuto began to blush as well, "A-Are you s-s-sure?" He asked nervously.

Asuna nodded, "Yes...I'm finally ready Kirito." After a brief pause to allow Kazuto to let what she said sink in, he stood up from the couch, took Asuna by the hand, and lead her to the bedroom.

Meanwhile, with Midori. She had just finished cleaning the house. Ever since Kazuto and Asuna moved into the apartment, she found the job to be considerably easier.

She'd never say the two were messy- per say- but it was one less bedroom that needed to be vacuumed. Suguha had gone out with some Kendo friends of hers, which gave Midori the opportunity to clean the house without worry of interruption. Not too much later, the phone went off. Midori walked over and picked it up, "Hello?" She said.

" _Hi Midori. It's been awhile..."_ Said the female voice on the phone.

Midori was taken aback, "Y-yes...indeed it has. Nice to hear from you." The woman replied.

" _So, what's the latest news with Kazuto?"_ The voice inquired.

Midori smiled, "He's getting married. They haven't assigned a date yet, but it was only announced earlier today, so that's not really a surprise."

The voice gasped, _"Really? He's getting married?"_

Midori nodded, "Yes, it's true. He's all grown up now." She said.

" _Yes...it appears he is...Thank you Midori."_ The voice said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"You're welcome. Take care." She said before hanging up. She sighed as she looked out the window, "If only you were here to see the man he's become. You'd be so proud." She said.

An hour later, back at the apartment. Asuna laid in the bed under the covers next to Kazuto. Asuna had the covers up to her neck, while Kazuto had it just above his waist line. Asuna sighed, "Wow...so that's what it's like." She said, resting her head on his chest.

He nodded, "Yeah...It's amazing." He said before wrapping his arms around her.

Asuna smiled, "Kirito...thank you so much for being so patient with me about this...you've no idea how much it means to me." She said as she looked up to his eyes.

He smiled, "You know I'd do anything for you Asuna." He told her. She smiled brightly, resting her head in the crook of his neck as they cuddled in the bed.

After a few minutes of bliss, Kazuto's eyes shot open, "Wait. When are we supposed to pick Yui back up from Ayame's?" He asked.

Asuna giggled lightly, "Relax. It's a four hour play date. She's still got three more hours." She then gave him a grin, "Why are you asking? Do you perhaps want to go again?" She asked teasingly.

Kazuto laughed, "Ok, that sounded way too much like something Rika would say." He told her.

Asuna blinked upon the realization and laughed at herself, "Oh wow, it really did." She said before she finished, "But seriously though, do you want to do it again?" She could tell that his answer was yes by the look in his eyes, but was waiting for verbal confirmation.

He smiled sheepishly, "Well...if you want to." Then, Asuna crashed her lips onto his as they began again.

(A/N: Ok. No big cliché speech this time. Just a dude who hopes you're enjoying this. I've kinda been going through an "I can't do anything right" phase...which is why I thank God that I finished this chapter before that phase began...anyways, if you think I'm wrong, then please let me know in a review. I could use the encouragement. Thanks guys.)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Graduation Has Arrived

The next morning, Kazuto woke up when Asuna fired an airhorn 3 inches from his ear. He jumped out of bed and fell on his side.

He stood up with an angry look on his face, "What the hell, Asuna!?" He asked in rage.

Asuna stifled a giggle, "Sorry, but I couldn't afford to let you sleep in today. It's Graduation. I've already got your breakfast on the table and Yui's getting into her nice dress." Kazuto groaned as he walked towards the hall.

Just before leaving, he turned around, "When did you even get an airhorn?" He asked.

Asuna smiled, "That's my secret!" She replied. Giving up on the matter, Kazuto went to go have breakfast.

A few hours later, they were at the High School. Yui was in the dress she got for her birthday while Asuna was wearing her best white dress. They were next to Midori as they waited for the graduates to appear in the gymnasium. Asuna and Midori quickly spotted Kazuto and Suguha, who were each wearing their school uniforms.

Yui smiled and pointed to them, "I see Daddy and Aunt Sugu!" She said excitedly. Asuna smiled as she picked her up, to give her a better view of her father and aunt.

It took thirty minutes, but after all the speeches from the principal, valedictorian, etc., the graduates were singing the school's fight song.

Kazuto, as he sang, looked out to the stands and quickly located Yui, who was jumping as she was applauding him. Next to her, was his lovely fiancée, smiling proudly and applauding right along with his child and adoptive mother. Times like this, Kazuto can't help but wonder what his birth mother would think of him right now. He shakes the thought from his head as he finishes the song.

Afterwards, everyone who was in the gymnasium returned to their home room classes to get their year books and have friends sign them.

While Kazuto and Rika had exchanged their yearbooks for each other to sign, the pinkette eyed Kazuto before sighing, "Hey, I wanna tell you something...No... I think I need to tell you."

Kazuto looked up, "What's up?" He inquired.

The girl looked away, "You, uh...you remember when we first met...with that dragon and the pit?" She asked shyly.

Kazuto nodded, "Yeah. What about it?"

Rika blushed slightly, "Well...when we were falling from the sky...I was trying to tell you something...but you... couldn't hear me."

Kazuto raised an eyebrow, "Oh, really? Sorry about that. What were trying to say?" He asked.

Rika swallowed hard, "Um... I may have...confessed...to having...you know...feelings for you..." She said slowly.

Kazuto's eyes went wide, "What?" He asked incredulously.

Rika took a step backwards, "Don't get the wrong idea, I'm honestly happy for you and Asuna! I am!" She assured, "It's just...lately I've been feeling a little jealous and so...I just wanted to finally get it all off my chest."

Kazuto took a moment to let what his friend just said sink in, "Does Asuna know, yet?" He asks.

Rika shook her head, "No, but I'm going to tell her...I just don't know when..."

Kazuto gave her a stern look, "Well, I won't say anything about this if you don't want me to. But you should make sure that Asuna learns about this before the wedding."

Rika nodded, "I agree. Thanks for hearing me out Kazuto."

After the students were done getting their yearbooks signed, they all went to get their diplomas, then Kazuto walked outside to see Yui running up to him. He knelt down to hug her, "Congratulations Daddy!" She said happily.

Kazuto smiled and picked the girl up, "Thanks Yui, it's nice to know that High School is over with." He said.

Asuna smiled, "Yeah, but now comes college. And that's no picnic." She warned him, "But I know you'll be just fine Kirito." She said.

Midori went over and hugged Kazuto, "I'm so proud of you Kazuto."

Said young man smiled and hugged back, "Thanks Aunt Midori."

Everyone went to the Kirigaya household to celebrate Kazuto's graduation.

Suguha ran up to him, "Way to bro!" She said giving him a high five.

Kazuto smiled, "Thanks Sugu. It was a big help for you to lend me your notes."

Sugu smiled, "Of course! I had to help my lazy brother who slept for two years straight." She said, generating a chuckle, "Seriously, I know you like to sleep in, but that was ridiculous!" She said. The others couldn't help but laugh as well.

The family spent the whole day smiling, reminiscing, and laughing. By the time the celebrations were over, it was an hour and a half past Yui's bed time and said child was sleeping on the couch while the teens helped Midori clean up from the party.

Asuna glanced over to Yui with a smile, "At least it won't be hard to get her into bed." She joked.

Midori smiled, "Since it's so late, why don't you three spend the night? You know, for old times' sake."

Kazuto smiled, "That would be great. Thanks."

Asuna and Kazuto worked together to get Yui into the guest room bed, all the while, remembering the first night they got her in the real world, and how they told her their love story.

When they got to Kazuto's old room, he sat on the bed, thinking more about everything he's been through since waking up from SAO. Asuna noticed his deep thought and went to sit beside him, "Hey, you alright, Kirito?" She asked.

He looked over to her and glanced at the ring on her finger and made a small smile, "What do you think she'd think of me?" He asked. Asuna followed his gaze to her ring and knew who he was talking about.

She put her hand in his and laced their fingers together, "She'd be proud of you. I just know it."

Kazuto smiled and hugged Asuna, "Thanks. Now let's get to bed." The two then got under the covers and slept peacefully.

Meanwhile, a woman had just finished packing her bags, "I hope I can get there in time." She said as she eyed her purse, thinking about the item she put in it, "It's about time he knew."

(A/N: I'd like to thank my advisor, who shall remain anonymous for his/her security, for informing me about Japanese high school graduations. Read and Review!)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Asuna's First Day of College

A few weeks after the graduation, Asuna was getting ready for her first day of college. Not only did she get her books and other supplies, but mainly she was making and lengthening a list of things for Kazuto to make sure to do to take care of Yui.

As she was listing one thing after another, Kazuto put his hands on her shoulders, "Honey, relax! It's not like I haven't had to watch her on my own before." He pointed out.

Asuna sighed, "I know, I'm sorry...I guess I'm just nervous about all this."

Kazuto smiled, "Don't worry, Asuna. You'll do just fine." Asuna smiled, her confidence reassured and left for college.

Yui felt it a little strange at first. She had grown accustomed to her father being the one who she greets when he comes home. However, this change was not unwelcome, because she loved the fact that she could spend more quality time with him.

Asuna arrived at her first college class and was pulling out her books. As she sat at her desk, she sighed, _"This is so weird...I'm an engaged mother who's attending her first day of college...this sounds like something out of one of those western TV programs in America, or something."_

She snapped out of her thoughts when a young man tapped her shoulder, "Hey cutie, this seat taken?" He asked, referring to the seat next to hers.

She noticed that the guy appeared to be reasonably good looking, but, judging by the cocky grin on his face, he was a little too aware of that. She shrugged, "Not that I know of, but you should know I'm already engaged." She informed him, showing off her diamond ring.

The man snapped his fingers, "Dang it. Ah well, worth a shot." He said as he walked off to do who-knows-what. Asuna thought him to be slightly obnoxious, but appreciated that he chose not to approach her again.

Back at the apartment, Yui and Kazuto were watching Pokémon, which Yui had become extremely fond of, ever since she saw Pikachu.

Not long into the episode, Kazuto's cell phone went off. He stood up, "I'll be right back." He told her. Yui nodded, not looking away from the screen. When he got into his and Asuna's room, he answered the phone, "Hello?" He asked.

" _Hey, bro-to-be."_ Kouichirou said, _"How are things?"_

Kazuto cracked a smile, "Going smoothly so far, which is a nice change in pace." He said with a chuckle, "So what's up?"

Kouichirou exhaled, supposedly, through his nose, _"I think Mei and I are having problems..."_ He admitted.

Kazuto raised an eyebrow, "Why do you think that?" He inquired.

" _I get the feeling she's secretly hated me ever since the...you know... 'incident' with Akechi."_ The older man answered.

Kazuto took a sad expression as he recalled that day, "Yeah, that was all pretty intense...But she said it was her idea. So why would she be mad at you?" He asked.

Kouichirou made an awkward chuckle, _"When's the last time a girl has ever let herself be wrong in a relationship?"_ He asked jokingly, _"But seriously, though... I wouldn't be surprised if she does. Her idea, or not, I still shot her father...right in front of her. I just don't know how to go about making amends for something like that..."_

Kazuto smiled a soft smile, "Did Asuna ever tell you about my battle with Nobuyuki Sugou?" He inquired.

" _No, why?"_

"Because it's similar to your problem. We were in ALfheim Online. I was right in front of Asuna, but I couldn't stop him from doing something that was devastatingly embarrassing. I beat him, but I still felt like I failed. I felt like I couldn't apologize enough for letting her down. But then she took me in her arms and said, 'it's ok... I always knew...I never doubted that you'd rescue me.'" (A/N: It may not be an exact quote. It's been a while since I saw that scene) He said.

After giving Kouichirou time to take in what he said, he spoke again, "The best thing you can do is let her know how you really feel about what happened."

Kouichirou sighed, _"You're right. Thanks...brother."_ He said before hanging up.

A little over an hour later, Asuna had finished her first class and was preparing to go to her second class when, "Hey, wait a sec." Came a male voice. Asuna turned around to see it was the same guy from the start of the class. He rubbed the back of his head, "I just wanted to apologize. I didn't know you were engaged. No hard feelings?" He asked.

Asuna smiled, "Sure. No worries, but I gotta hurry." She told him. The guy nodded, "Okay, see ya around." He said before going off.

At the Narumi residence, Kouichirou had just knocked on the door. A few moments later, Mira answered the door with a smile, "Hello, Kouichirou." She said cheerfully. She still had no idea who it was that shot her husband, as far as anyone knew.

Kouichirou nodded, "Hello, Narumi-san. Is Mei here?" Mira simply smiled.

Kouichirou was always formal with her, probably to stay on, at least, one of the parent's good side. "Yes, come on in, She's up in her room." Kouichirou nodded and went up to her room. When he arrived, he saw Mei sitting on her bed.

She turned to him with a small smile, "Oh. Hey baby. I didn't expect you today." She said calmly, "Um...can we talk? I need to get something off my chest."

He nodded, "Yeah. I got something I need to tell you too."

Mei looked away slightly, "I've had this feeling ever since the incident at the courtroom. I feel like... I feel like I killed my own father." She said, shocking the young man.

"What are you talking about? I'm the one who had the gun, and I'm the one who shot him... It's my fault... I'm sorry... I murdered him... I understand if you hate me..."

Mei shook her head and put her hands in his, "You may have fired it, but remember who it was that gave you that gun in your hand in the first place. If nothing else... I'm just as much at fault as you are..." They both then stood in silence. Holding themselves in each other's arms.

A few hours later, back at the apartment building, Asuna had just pulled up into the drive way and prepared to walk in. As soon as she opened the door, she accidentally bumped into a woman wearing a pan suit, she appeared to be the same age as Kyouko.

The woman looked up at Asuna, "I'm terribly sorry, I didn't see you." She said.

Asuna smiled and picked up the woman's purse, which she had dropped, "It's ok, but-." She couldn't finish as she noticed what she saw.

In her purse, she saw something labeled "Yuna Kirigaya" making her look questioningly at the woman, "Do you want something from Kazuto?" She asked.

The woman gasped, "You know him?" She asked. The woman then took in the younger girls' appearance, "Oh wait, I've heard of you. You're Asuna, right?" She asked, "I promise to explain, but I'd rather wait until I see Kazuto, so I can fill everyone in at once." Asuna was cautious, but decided to play this out.

Asuna lead the woman into the apartment, "I'm home!" She called out to Yui and Kazuto who were watching TV.

Yui was about to run to her mother when she saw the strange woman behind her, "Mommy, who's that lady?" She asked.

Asuna moved out of the way to introduce the woman, "According to what I saw in her purse, her name is Yuna." She then paused for a moment, "Yuna Kirigaya."

Kazuto stood up, an angry expression upon his face, "Get her out!" He said angrily.

Yui looked over to him, "What's the matter Daddy?"

The woman, supposedly called Yuna, sighed, then looked at Kazuto, "You're exactly as I expected."

Kazuto glared at her, "Uh...do you know me?" He asked.

She shook her head, "Not personally, no. But my husband does..." She paused for a moment, "After all, a father should know his son."

Kazuto's eyes grew to the size of baseballs... "Are...are you...my..." The woman took a deep breath, "Kazuto...I... am..."

(A/N: Tune in for her answer! Read and Review!)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A Mother's Visit from the Beyond

(A/N: I felt kind of bad about leaving you guys hanging like that, so I decided to post this early. Please note, that there will be no more posts until after the holidays. This chapter is going to be short, but VERY emotional. Enjoy!)

"I... am... not your mother." The woman announced, "My name is Koyome. It's true my husband is your father Kazuto, but he married me some time after you were born." Kazuto, not knowing what to make of all this, got up and left the room.

Koyome looked slightly disheartened, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. But he needs to hear what I have to say." She explained.

Asuna nodded, "Ok, let me talk to him."

She found him in their bedroom, hands covering his face as he sat there motionless. Asuna sat down beside him, "You ok?" She asked softly.

Kazuto let out a shaky breath, "I don't know... First I was angry at the thought that she tried to act like my mother...then I actually started to believe it... and now..." He said with a sigh, "Now I just don't know what to think."

Asuna gently wrapped her arms around her and pulled him into her arms, "I understand this has to be hard for you." She told him, "And I can feel that you desperately want answers. But that's not going to happen if you stay in here. You need to go out and listen to what Koyome has to say."

Kazuto lifted his head up, "I can't... I'm too afraid... of what I might learn..."

Asuna made a small nod, "I know, but you can't run away from this forever. Just like I couldn't run away from my mother forever." She then offered him a tender smile, "And don't worry. I'll be right by your side the whole time."

Kazuto was still hesitant to learn the truth about his birth mother, but Asuna being beside him gave him courage to face it. Silently, he nodded and the two of them returned to the living room.

When they returned, Kazuto apologized for walking away. Koyome just smiled, "I completely understand. It's a lot to take in." She said before she began to dig around in her purse, "Asuna already caught a glimpse of it," she says as she pulls out a disc with the name "Yuna Kirigaya" on it, "but this is a recording of your mother. Your father had been holding onto it. He always meant to give it to you, but there was always some excuse. This disc contains a message that she wanted to send you."

Asuna glanced to Kazuto, who made a small nod, before taking the disk and inserting it into the DVD player in their home.

After a moment, a woman who looked similar to Midori, except her hair was cut short. She smiled on the screen, _"Kazuto...If you're seeing this, then it means that I'm no longer of this world."_ She began, _"I can only hope that I died in order to protect you."_ Yuna then made a nervous chuckle, _"But I'm getting off track. You see, Kazuto...by now in your life, you're no doubt aware that your father isn't around. He always was scared of the idea of being responsible for another being's safety and well-fare. So, when he learned I was pregnant, he ran, saying he couldn't handle that kind of responsibility."_

Yuna took a deep breath, _"But please, don't hate him for it. It's who he is. I knew that going into all of this. I'm currently with my sister, your aunt, Midori. She has been helping me so much. She's been talking to her husband about having a child as well, which excites me to know that you may have a cousin to play with."_ She said with a smile, _"Kazuto...I may not know right now how I'm going to die...Or even if you'll ever see this recording. But if you are seeing this...please listen to what I'm about to say..."_

She paused for a moment to collect herself, _"Make sure you take your school classes seriously. I know they may seem tedious and pointless at times, but it's important to learn all you can. And always treat girls with respect, and when the day comes that you get a girlfriend, don't you dare take her for granted. And if you've got a dream, then don't hesitate to follow it. Chase after it with all you have and make it a reality."_ Yuna then began to have tears forming in her eyes, _"I don't have much time left, Kazuto...So I'm going to finish with this: Please be safe, I love you my son."_ Then the screen faded to black.

Asuna, Koyome and Yui all looked over to Kazuto to see his eyes pouring tears down like waterfalls. Asuna and Yui both went over to hold him close, to offer some kind of comfort to him. Kazuto wrapped his arms around the two girls and gripped them like his life depended on it. After a few minutes, Kazuto's whimpers had died down, and he released his grip on Asuna and Yui.

The child didn't move, but Asuna placed a hand on his shoulder, "You alright, Kirito?" She asked.

Kazuto nodded, "Yeah...I'm...I'm fine." He said before looking to Koyome, "Thank you... for bringing me this." He said.

Koyome smiled, "You're welcome. It's yours, she always wanted you to have it anyways." She then got up to leave. Before walking out the door, she turned around to look at him one last time, "I don't know if we'll ever see each other again, but I just want you to know that your father thinks about you a lot these days. Maybe you'll get to meet him." Then she left.

Kazuto's eyes hadn't stopped crying, but he had managed to calm himself down enough to pick Yui up and place her on his lap, "Thanks for the hug, Yui. I really needed it."

The child smiled and wiped away her father's tears, "Are you ok, Daddy?" She asked.

Kazuto smiled and kissed the child's forehead, "Yes. I'm ok."

A moment later, Asuna bent down to look Yui at eye level, "Yui, why don't you go play with Ryu on ALO, daddy and I need to have a quick talk, then we'll join you."

Yui nodded, "Ok."

After Yui left, Asuna sat back down beside him, "This couldn't have been easy for you." She said.

Kazuto made a breathy laugh, "No kidding... I always wondered why I never knew either of my birth parents... This is just so much to take in..." He said.

There was silence between the two for a moment before Kazuto smiled, "I just met my mother for the first time." He said.

Asuna smiled, "And now that we have that disc, she'll always be here."

Kazuto shook his head, "She's always been here, Asuna." He said as he placed his hand on his heart, "I just never knew it, until now."

(A/N: *Sniff* ok...that's it for this chapter. *Sniff* I got inspired to make this scene the way that I did from when Naruto meets Kushina. I was crying my eyes out as I wrote this, so I hope you all like it. *Sniff* Review please.)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Going Good Blues

Three weeks after Koyome had delivered the disc with Yuna's message for Kazuto, and things have been going smoothly for the small family. Kazuto had been given the whole summer as a paid vacation (on minimum wage, but hey, what'cha gonna do?) for his hard work -with never taking a day off- during the other seasons. Asuna had been breezing through her college classes with little to no difficulty, finishing almost all her homework before the bell would even ring, allowing her more time to focus on her motherly duties to Yui back home, and plan the wedding of course. Speaking of Yui, she had just earlier that day, finished a play date with Kotori, where they played just about every board game in the house (which is a sizeable collection).

It's now the middle of the night, and everyone was sleeping peacefully.

Well. Almost everyone.

Asuna had been tossing and turning in her bed for three minutes now.

 _Asuna's Dream_

 _Asuna and Kazuto were standing at the altar, listening to the priest chant their wedding blessing, "If anyone objects to this union, speak now, or forever hold your peace."_

 _For ten seconds, no answer came. Just then, one of the stained-glass windows shattered as a man leapt through them. He landed on his feet, crouched down, bangs covering his eyes, "I object. Yuuki is my right, and mine alone."_

 _Asuna and Kazuto gasped as they recognized the voice, "Sugou!" Kazuto declared._

 _Agil charged the man from behind, but Sugou had anticipated it and tossed a knife into his heart, causing Asuna to scream._

 _Rika, Klein, Keiko, Suguha, Nagata, Kouichirou, and Mei all tried to stop him as well, but Sugou sliced through them as effortlessly as he did Agil._

 _Kazuto crouched as he prepared to charge, "Dammit!" He yelled. He picked up one of Sugou's knives and began to fight back with it._

 _Asuna watched the scene in fear, "Watch out, Kirito!" She said. No sooner than when those words escaped her lips, Sugou slit Kazuto's throat._

 _Asuna fell to her knees, weeping her eyes out, when Sugou grabbed her breast harshly, "Now I shall do what I should have done a long time ago." He said as his face slowly approached hers, "You're mine, Asuna!"_

 _Asuna's Dream ends_

Asuna's eyes shot open as she jolted to an upright position with a scream. This caused Kazuto to wake up with a start as he noticed his fiancée trembling, tears falling down her cheeks. He gently placed a hand on her arm, "Asuna are you alright?" He asked.

As soon as his hand made contact, she jumped and slapped it away before looking to see that it was Kazuto's hand, not Sugou's. Asuna buried her face in Kazuto's chest, "Kirito!" She cried loudly, forgetting that Yui was in the other room nearby.

After a few moments of soothing, Asuna told him about her nightmare, "It...it was awful... Sugou appeared...he killed... everyone...and then he... he..." She then clutched onto him tighter, afraid that he was going to vanish.

Kazuto slightly tightened his grip as well, "Don't worry, Asuna. It was just a bad dream, I'm right here. It's ok." He whispered.

Just then, Yui, wearing her grey dress- they had repurposed it as a nightgown-, walked in, "What's going on?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

Asuna turned from Kazuto to look at her daughter and offered a weak smile, "Sorry, Yui. I just had a bad dream...that's all. I'm sorry I woke you."

Yui eyed her mother with sleepy eyes, "Are you ok, Mommy?" She asked.

Asuna got off the bed and went over to hug her daughter, "Yes, Yui. I'm fine now." She then picked the child up in her arms, "Let's get you back in bed, ok?"

Yui nodded, "Uh huh..." She replied before nodding off, laying her head in the crook of her mother's neck.

When Asuna returned, she climbed back into bed and looked towards Kazuto, "Sorry for waking you up like this. I'm sure you'd rather be asleep at," she glanced at their digital clock, "2:51 in the morning." She told him.

Kazuto gave her a loving smile and wrapped his arms around her, "No matter what time of day it is, I'll always be there for you when you need me. That's a promise." He said as he gently kissed her. Asuna tensed up for a moment, which Kazuto had expected, knowing full well what Sugou would've done, had Asuna not woken up. Soon though, she returned it.

When they separated, she snuggled into his chest with a grin before whispering to him, "Your shirt is all wet."

Kazuto smirked, "Wonder how that happened." He whispered back sarcastically before they both entered sleep.

The next morning, she kept having flashes of moments from her nightmares, except they were appropriate to whatever situation she was in.

For example; while she was showering, she had this fear that Sugou would pull open the curtains and have his way with her. This continued relentlessly with no sign of stopping, which is why Asuna thanked God that it was Saturday, because that meant no classes, and the last thing she needed was to freak out in the middle of a class.

Kazuto had noticed her struggles and did his best to comfort her. When she was showering, as previously mentioned, he didn't stray too far from the bathroom door, and after ten minutes, he knocked on the door to confirm that she was alright.

About an hour after breakfast, Kazuto decided that Asuna needed to see someone, so he booked a session with a nearby therapist.

Asuna shook her head, "I really don't think that's necessary, Kirito." She insisted.

Kazuto sighed, "Asuna, you've been a nervous wreck. You're normally a rock star in the kitchen, but today you almost dropped three different plates four different times. If that doesn't mean that you need some professional help, I don't know what does." He stated. Asuna huffed in annoyance, knowing that she couldn't change his mind on the matter. Kazuto noticed this and rubbed his hand along her upper arm, "You know I'm just looking out for you." He told her.

Asuna smiled, "Yeah, I know."

Soon, the family was sitting in the waiting area for the therapist's office. Kazuto had brought along his old VR phone head set and let Yui use it to keep her entertained, so long as she stayed seated.

Soon, the female therapist opened the door and looked to the three, "Asuna Yuuki?" She asked.

Said girl stood up, "That's me." She said with a half-smile.

The therapist smiled back, "Right this way, Asuna-san."

The woman lead her to a cozy room with an arm chair and a small couch. She gestured to the couch, "Make yourself comfortable." She instructed. Asuna did as told and sat herself down in the middle of the couch. The therapist then sat herself down on the couch, "So, Asuna-san, what brings you into my office today?" She asked.

Asuna sighed, "Well I had a nightmare last night and it's been having a lasting effect on me."

The therapist nodded, "I see. What was the setting of the dream?" She asked.

"I was in the middle of a wedding ceremony with Kazuto."

The therapist smiled, "Not the usual nightmare location." She said with a slight chuckle, "Go on."

Asuna let out a small laugh as well and told her about how Sugou appeared and killed everyone, "The last thing he said before I woke up was, 'you're mine, Asuna.'"

The therapist hummed for a moment, "How do you know this, Sugou person?" She inquired.

Asuna sighed, "He and I kinda grew up together. He always had a thing for me, but frankly, I couldn't stand him. I'm an SAO survivor and while I was still in the game, my father had made me engaged with him. He attempted to test illegal brain experiments on me and 299 other SAO survivors who didn't wake up when SAO was beaten. My boyfriend, now fiancée, stopped him in the virtual world, and had him arrested. We haven't seen or heard from him since. That was over a year ago."

The therapist nodded, "I see. And I assume you're planning on getting married soon?" She asked.

"We haven't set a date yet, but yes." Asuna answered.

The therapist hummed, reviewing everything she's been told before smiling at her, "This is actually a very common occurrence for women in your position." She explained.

Asuna raised an eyebrow, "I _highly_ doubt it." She said.

The therapist chuckled, "Ok, maybe not quite to the specifics as you, but the cause of all these concerns is really very natural." She assured the young woman. "It's something that's, more commonly called, 'going good blues.'" She explained, "It's when things are going so well, that you think that something's just waiting to make all of your plans fall apart. In your case, your fear of this Sugou has manifested as the source of your going good blues."

Asuna thought for a moment, "So... how do I get rid of this?" She asked.

The therapist leaned back into her chair, "Well...normally, I'd recommend confronting the source, but that may not be possible with Sugou." She said in thought, "So I think the best thing you can do is remind yourself of who it was that saved you from him. In this case, your fiancée."

Asuna smiled and nodded, "Alright. Thank you."

Asuna paid the therapist and the family left for home. When they returned to their apartment, Yui went over to her room and the couple sat down on the couch, "So what's the situation? Are you gonna be ok?" He asked.

Asuna smiled and nodded, "Yeah. Turns out I was just a little overly paranoid about the wedding." She explained.

Kazuto nodded, "What did she tell you to do to help it?" He inquired.

Asuna blushed and cuddled up to him, "This." She said as she closed her eyes, letting her body relax as she felt Kazuto wrap her arms around her waist. He said nothing, already understanding her message, as he closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling.

(A/N: That's this chapter! This chapter came to me when I got a review from TheSib, who said that he thought Sugou would make an appearance. He may not be a physical character, but at least it's something. Hope you guys had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Yui: Please review! Please, please, please, please, please, please, pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaassssssseeeeee! *Puppy dog eyes*

Ninja writer: *Stares into the eyes* Damn that's cute...


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Getting to Know Father

A few days later and Asuna had made a full recovery from her nightmares of Sugou. Right now, the love birds were debating on wedding ideas, "So..." Kazuto said, "should we do a Western style wedding, or do we have it more traditional?"

Asuna hummed, "Well...our wedding in SAO was done in the western style, and it was beautiful...but I don't know if it would be the best here in the real world."

Kazuto nodded, "Yeah, I know what you mean. Not to mention those kinds of weddings are a lot more expensive." He said, keeping his finances in mind.

Asuna smiled, "Don't worry about that. I just got off the phone with my Mom and she said she'd pay for our wedding, no matter what we decide." She said cheerfully.

Kazuto looked to her, "Woah, really?" He asked.

Asuna let out a laugh, "I know! Can you believe it? Considering how she first felt about you, I never would've seen this coming."

Kazuto smiled as he nodded, "Well, anyways...back to this. I think that we should consider-." Kazuto was interrupted by the sound of his phone. He stood up, "Sorry, I'll just be a sec." He told her.

Asuna nodded, "Okay."

Kazuto stepped into the hallway and answered the phone, "Hello?" He asked.

" _Is this Kazuto Kirigaya's number?"_ Asked the man on the other end of the phone.

Kazuto nodded, "This is him. Who are you?" He asked. _"My name is Roku...You wouldn't know me...But my sister in law has kept me up to date on you."_

When the man said that, something clicked in Kazuto's brain, "So I finally here from you." Kazuto said calmly, surprising Roku.

" _I admit I'm surprised. Pleasantly so, but still. I thought you'd be angry at me for running out on you and your mother, Narumi."_ He told him.

Kazuto shook his head, "I would've been, but Mom told me not to be." He replied.

Kazuto heard Roku sigh, _"I see...so you saw the tape. I imagine you have a lot of questions. And I'm willing to answer them. I owe you that much."_ He told the younger man.

Kazuto glanced back towards his fiancée, "I'd rather do that in person. Besides, I'm not the only one who'd want to meet you." He said.

" _Ah right. That girlfriend and daughter of yours. Ok, how's about tomorrow we meet up at imperial park?"_ He suggested.

Kazuto nodded, "Sounds good. Bye...Dad." Roku said nothing, and hung up the phone.

Kazuto silently walked back over to Asuna and sat down. Asuna noticed the serious look on his face and raised an eyebrow, "You ok, Kirito?" She asked.

Kazuto nodded, "Yeah, sorry. I just got off the phone with my dad and so I kinda got stuck in my own little world." He explained.

Asuna's eyes widened, "Seriously!? That was your dad!?" She said as she adjusted her seating position to face him better, "Tell me about him!" She insisted.

Kazuto grinned, "Don't you think we should get some more work done on the wedding? We have kind of been putting it off." He pointed out.

Asuna shook her head, "It can wait! Kirito, this is your father we're talking about! Now what did you two talk about?" She asked again.

Sighing in defeat, Kazuto informed Asuna of the situation and of the plan to meet up tomorrow. Asuna smiled, "Wow, Kirito, you're handling this pretty well." She noted.

Kazuto made a slight laugh, "Yeah well, I guess, after the thing with Koyome, I've kinda gotten used to this kind of thing." He said causing them both to laugh.

The next day, around noon, the small family was walking the trail of Imperial park, when a man walked up to them. He had short, jet black hair, with hazel eyes just like Kazuto's. Kazuto was surprised to realize that he looks like an older version of the avatar he had built for SAO when he was a beta tester. He looked to the trio, but mainly Kazuto, with a smile, "It's good to finally meet you son."He said.

Kazuto smiled and shook the man's hand, "Same goes to you, Dad." Asuna took a step forward and bowed her head, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir. I'm Asuna."

Roku nodded, "Yes, I heard. You're Kazuto's girlfriend, right?" Asuna smiled, "Actually, now I'm his fiancée!" She said while showing the ring.

Roku had a wave of nostalgia hit him when he recognized it as the same ring he proposed to Narumi with. He laughed, "Well, then congratulations!" He then squatted down to see Yui at eye level, "And you must be Yui. I've heard a lot of nice things about you." He said with a smile.

Yui smiled back, "It's nice to meet you, Grandpa!" She said as she hugged him.

Roku chuckled, "Grandpa, eh? That's gonna take some getting used to."

The group found a picnic table and all sat down for the explanations. Kazuto took a deep breath, "First off, how come you're alive? Aunt Midori told me that you both died in the car accident."

Roku scoffed, "That's not a surprise. Ya see, ever since I ran out on your mom...well let's just say she's not exactly my biggest fan." He said with an awkward chuckle, "Anyways, it's true I was in the car that day, except that your mother and I were both alive, but barely. She and I were both rushed to the hospital. I can't give you the details, since I was in a coma, but when I woke up, the first thing I needed to know was that Narumi was ok."

Kazuto smiled at this, because he acted the same way for Asuna when he woke up from SAO.

Roku continued, "I staggered, and fought my way to her hospital bed...only to find the sheets covering her face..." He said with a sad look on his face, "The doctors said...that my recovery was a miracle...but that only made it worse for me... To know that the one who was weak...was the one to survive... And the strong one was the one to die." He said. Kazuto decided to give him a moment to collect himself.

After a brief moment of silence, Roku spoke up again, "I did my best to accept what happened to your mother...but it took thirteen years on my own, and three more years with Koyome to finally help me. A part of me will always wish your mother had survived that day. But I know I can't change the past. Only accept it. So here I am. Hoping for a new start."

Kazuto smiled and pulled a flash drive from his pocket and handed it to Roku. The man took it, "What's this?" He asked.

"It has a copy of Mom's message. I figured you may want something to remember her by."

Roku smiled, "Thank you Kazuto. Do any of you guys have any more questions?"

Asuna nodded, "If you ran out on her, why were you in the car with her?" She asked curiously.

Roku chuckled, "I knew that one was coming. It's because she had left her jewelry box at my place, and she wanted me to take her and pick it up." Asuna nodded again.

Roku checked his watch before standing up, "Well...I gotta go. I have a meeting." He said before handing Kazuto a card, "If you ever wanna talk. About anything. Gimme a call."

Kazuto nodded, "Actually, before you go, I have one request for you." He said. Roku raised an eyebrow, "What is it?" He asked.

"I'd like you to come to the wedding."

Roku smiled, "I'll be there. Let me know the time and place when you decide."

As the family was heading home, Asuna smiled at Kazuto, "I'm glad your dad will be joining us."

Kazuto nodded, "Me too. Now we just need to quit all these distractions and get some work done and planning this thing already."

Asuna laughed, "Yeah, you're right. Let's get straight to it when we get home."

Yui smiled, her parents had never looked happier than whenever they started talking about the wedding. And for as long as she's known them, that's all she's wanted. Is to live happily with her mother and father.

(Alright! That's it for this chapter. I've been watching SAO II recently to help make sure I keep everyone in character. Hope you liked it so far! Also, if you have a preference on whether their wedding should be Japanese, or Western, let me know! R&R!)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Not Every Happy Ending

(A/N: This is a 100% filler chapter. It has no connection to the rest of the plot, so feel free to skip it if you want.)

Kazuto was walking out with Asuna and Yui, on their way home from a picnic in the park. Asuna smiled, "That was a lot of fun. We'll need to make sure to do it again sometime." She said.

Kazuto smiled and nodded, "Yeah, definitely."

Yui looked over to her parents, "Can we invite Aunt Sugu next time?" She asked.

Asuna smiled, "Yeah! It'll be great!"

As they walked, they were approached by an adolescent, who couldn't be much older than Asuna, "Excuse me, are you the guy that beat SAO?" He asked.

Kazuto nodded, "Uh... yeah, but how did you know that?" He asked.

"I was in there too. And I wanted to find the guy who beat it, and say something." The guy answered.

Kazuto nodded, "Uh... alright. What is it?"

The guy took a deep breath before slugging Kazuto across the face, "You son of a bitch!" He yelled.

Kazuto hit the ground, making Yui gasp, "Daddy!" She said as she hurried over to him.

Asuna glared at him, "What's your problem?" She asked, "Kazuto saved all of us players from being stuck in their forever!"

The guy gritted his teeth, "That's the problem!" He yelled.

Kazuto stood up, "What are you talking about?" He asked.

The guy clenched his fists, "My life in this world is a living hell! My parents disowned me because they saw me as a failure! Every day, everywhere I go, someone beats the crap out of me! And tells me I'm worthless!" He then began to glare daggers at Kazuto, "Then came Sword Art Online. It didn't take me too long to become popular in the game. I was one of the best Zanbato (I.E. Executioner's blade) wielding players in there!"

Tears began to pour down from his eyes, "I, somehow, even managed to find a girl who loved me...it may have only been in game, but when we got married, I quit the frontlines, so that I could be the best possible husband for her... I had it all!" He fell to his knees, "But then I received a notice that someone named Kirito had beaten the final boss and then the next thing I know, I'm back here in the real world! It took a few weeks, but I managed to find her here in the real world...but when she realized the kind of life I live in the real world... She left me...Saying that she didn't want anything to do with a loser..."

He pounded the cement ground until his knuckles became bloodied, "I had **everything** that I could've wanted in there... That world felt more like home to me than this one ever has! I could've lived a long, happy life in that world! And I would've been more than happy with that! Because then at least I wouldn't have died a God forsaken piece of shit!"

Kazuto was rendered speechless at his outburst when Asuna looked at him, "Look, I'm sorry about what's happened to you, I honestly am." She then took a threatening step towards the guy, "but if you hit my fiancée, or use language like that near my daughter again, and you won't have to worry about living with your struggles anymore... Got it?" She said in a manner she hasn't used since she was second in command of Knights of the Blood Oath.

The guy said nothing but walked away.

Asuna went over to Kazuto to check his injury, "Are you ok?" She asked.

Kazuto let out a breath, "Yeah...just... a little shaken..." He answered.

Yui gripped her hand in his as she looked up to Asuna, "Mommy, who was that man?" She asked.

Asuna hummed, "I think I remember seeing him before on the frontlines. It was about a month or two after I was made second in command of Knight of the Blood Oath. We approached him and wanted him to join but chose not to, for some reason. He seemed so normal back then, I didn't expect him to be like this." They then continued home in an uncomfortable silence.

When they got home, Yui got onto ALO, saying that she was going to help Shiwa- who had become a good friend- with a quest, while the newlyweds to be sat on the couch when Kazuto spoke up, "Do you think we, maybe, made a mistake?" He asked.

Asuna raised an eyebrow, "A mistake about what?" She inquired.

"About clearing SAO...ya know...after meeting that guy, I can't help but wonder...if what we did was really the right thing to do." He said.

"What are you talking about? Of course, it was." Asuna told him.

"But what about Yui? And our log cabin? Those are things we didn't think we'd have after SAO! Plus, without it, we'd probably never have met!" Kazuto countered, "Plus that guy...I feel like I've ruined his life by beating the game..."

Asuna smiled softly at him and leaned into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder, "It's impossible to make everyone happy, Kirito. No matter what you do, there's always going to be someone who doesn't approve. You just have to be able to accept it. That's what I had to do when we started seeing each other in the real world. My mother didn't like it, but I accepted it, because if that's what I had to deal with to be with you, then so be it."

Kazuto smiled, "How'd I get to have such a beautiful and smart fiancée?" He asked.

Asuna blushed slightly, "Guess you just have good taste."

Then Kazuto blushed for a moment, "Ya know...I've uh...always wanted to know ...what it's like to... uh..."

Asuna smiled slyly, "To sleep with a college girl?" She asked teasingly.

Kazuto's blush deepened as he avoided eye contact.

Asuna giggled, "Well, Yui does dive for hours at a time, so I think we have time for a round or two." She said as she leads him into the bedroom for some "cheering up."

(A/N: Ok, like I said, this chapter will have no connection to the overall plot...it was really just a bit of rage writing. I was having a bad day, and thus this was born. For those of you who didn't skip it, thanks for putting up with my stupid rage episode... or... chapter... uh... whatever. You guys know what I mean.)


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Confessions

Two months have passed since Kazuto met his father, and in that time, Kazuto and Asuna had made significant progress in their wedding plans. They had decided on a traditional Japanese wedding, they had also set the date for July 28th, which was now only three months away. Both Asuna and Kazuto had already gotten their kimonos, and sent out invites to Roku, Koyome, Midori, Kyouko, Shouzou, Kouichirou, Mei, Sugu, Nagata, Klein, Agil, Keiko, Rika, and Mira. As well as some Uncles and Aunts from both sides.

The couple was currently in game as they enjoyed some one on one time in the forests of ALfheim. Yui was off with Scilica as they flew up to Aincrad to tackle the Hill of Memories, saying that she wanted to give a certain type of monster some payback. Asuna sighed, "Can you believe it, Kirito? In three months, we'll be married in the real world!" She said as she eyed the wedding ring on her avatar's finger.

Kazuto smiled with a nod as he held her hand, "Yeah, it's incredible."

Before they got much further in their conversation, Liz walked up to the two of them, "Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to you, Asuna."

Kazuto nodded, knowing what this was about, "Sure thing. I'm gonna go check up on Silica and Yui."

Asuna nodded, "Ok, I'll catch up to you when we're done here. Take care." She said as she kissed his cheek.

After Kazuto left, Rika took a deep breath, "There's uh...there's something I should have told you... a long time ago." She started.

Asuna tilted her head, "What is it?"

Liz had a small blush on her cheeks, "I kinda have had a crush on Kazuto ever since he helped me out in getting the material for his sword..."

Asuna was taken aback, "What!? You've had a crush on him for that long?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She asked her.

Liz looked down at her feet, "Well, when you came into the shop...I was just about to confess to him, when you walked in. Then I saw the two of you go back and forth and I could tell instantly that there was a spark between the two of you... So, I kept my mouth shut, because I didn't want to ruin our friendship."

Asuna became angry, "So, let me get this straight, for over a year now, my best friend has been fantasizing about my boyfriend?" She asked.

Liz's head sulked, "I understand why you're so angry, and I understand if you don't want me to go to your wedding... but I just want you to know that I'm sorry for keeping this from you. I really did want to tell you sooner, but I kept chickening out..."

Asuna took a deep, aggravated breath, "I don't want you anywhere near me, or Yui, or my fiancée, ever again." She said as she quickly logged out.

Liz fell to the floor and began to break into tears. Years ago, she would've thought that learning Kazuto would never be hers was the most painful thing she could feel, but she was wrong. The most painful thing, was losing her best friend.

Back in the apartment, Asuna took off her Amusphere and sat up with a huff, "I can't believe that she'd lie to me like that! And for so long! I swear, she can just be such a-... Gah!" She exclaimed. She looked over to Kazuto, who was still dived into ALO, and held his hand, "What do I do now, Kirito?" She asked. A lone tear fell from her eye and landed on Kazuto's hand.

Back in ALO, Kirito felt a strange sensation in his right hand, and lifted it up to investigate, "Weird..." He said to himself.

Yui noticed her father spacing out, "You ok, Daddy?" She asked.

Kirito smiled and lowered his hand, "Yeah, it's nothing." He said with a small smile, "So what are you two doing here anyways?" He inquired.

Silica looked over to Kirito, "Well, you remember the last time you and I were here? With that plant monster that grabbed me?" She asked.

Kirito nodded, thinking back to when he helped her rescue Pima. He nodded, "Yeah. I remember that." He told her.

Silica smirked evilly, "It's time to pay that prick back!" She said with a crooked chuckle.

Yui wore a face of small fear, "Aunt Silica is scary like this..." She said.

Kirito nodded, "I'm not used to this side of her."

After a few minutes, Yui looked up in the sky, "Where's Mommy? I thought she'd be here by now." She wondered.

Kirito hummed before checking his friend list. When he went to see who all was online, he was surprised to see Asuna was offline. He closed it, "Asuna logged out...I'm gonna see what's bothering her." He told them.

Yui turned to face her father, "I'll go with you." She declared.

Kazuto smiled, but shook his head, "No, it's ok. You go ahead and back up Silica. If this is gonna go anyway like it did last time, then she's gonna need some help."

Pima growled as he heard this. Kirito simply laughed as he logged out.

Yui looked over to Silica, "What was Daddy talking about?" She asked.

Silica put her hand to her forehead and sighed, "I don't like to talk about it. Let's just hurry." She said. Yui nodded and followed along, with Ryu perched on her shoulder.

Kazuto woke up to see Asuna holding his hand. He sat up, startling her, "Hey." He said, "How come you didn't meet up with us?"

Asuna sighed, "It was what Liz said." She confessed. She then told her what Liz had said, "And then, I told her not to come near any of us, by which I mean you, me and Yui, ever again."

Kazuto placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you sure you wanna do that? She's your best friend." He reminded her.

Asuna scoffed, "Oh yeah, best friend who lied to me for three years." She saw Kazuto was about to argue her decision again and raised her hand to stop him, "Don't bother Kirito. I've made up my mind. This is how I want it." She said.

Kazuto looked her in the eyes for a moment before exhaling through his nose, "Alright, but you really should log back on. Yui really wants to fight alongside you." He told her.

Asuna smiled, "Ok." As she said this, Kazuto stood up and started walking out of the room, "You're not coming?" She asked.

Kazuto smiled, "Nah, I kinda pissed Silica off, so it's better if I don't."

Asuna simply laughed, knowing that he had, no doubt, been teasing again. "Alright, but I'm telling her you say hi." She warned him. Kazuto chuckled and nodded.

In ALfheim again, Asuna had caught up to Yui and Silica just in time to watch the end of the fight with the very plant monster that Silica had been hunting. Silica charged at it, slashing at the head with her knife, only for her to be grabbed by her ankles and held upside down.

Silica smirked and used her wings to center herself back, "I've learned a few tricks since last time!" She stated proudly.

As if on cue, the monster grew its own variant of wings, and soon enough, Silica found herself upside down again, except with no way of correcting herself.

She used one hand to keep her skirt from flying upward and the other was flailing rapidly, "Yui! Please help me!" She cried desperately.

Asuna couldn't help but laugh at this. Kazuto had told her about what happened the first time, and made her swear not to let Silica know she found out.

Yui raised her wings, "I'm on it!" She flew forward, gripping Harmony tightly, and slashed threw the two vines holding Silica. She then took her Boomerang Blade, and quite literally disarmed it of all its other vines before going in for a downward slash, cleaving the monster in two.

Asuna walked up to the duo, applauding, "Way to go Yui! You're a real natural with a sword!" She said proudly.

Yui saw Asuna and instantly ran to hug her, "Hi Mommy! Did you see that! I took down that whole monster by myself!" She exclaimed.

Asuna laughed, "I saw the whole thing! I'm really proud of you Yui!" She said.

As happy as she was to be enjoying the moment, there was a thought in the back of her mind that wondered if she made the right choice about Rika.

(A/N: I saw that fight between the girls and that plant monster on SAOII just the other day and had deemed it way too good to be left out of my story, so I changed it just enough to fit the situation a bit better. Hope you all like this chapter better than my last one. That was definitely not my best work.

Kazuto: Hey, Ninja Writer, what's with these weird spandex suits?

Asuna: And why are their cards all over the place over here?

Ninja Writer: I'll explain that in the note after the epilogue when the story is over. It won't be relevant until then anyways. Now then, take it away you two.

Kazuto & Asuna: Review please!)


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Asuna's Past

Two days later, and the whole circle of friends and family had been told of Asuna's conversation with Rika. Midori, Suguha, and their other friends were shocked to hear how she reacted, considering that she normally keeps a level head in any scenario.

The Yuuki's, however, were not surprised, given her past.

Kazuto, finally tired of not knowing, walked up to Asuna and made her look him in the eyes, "Asuna what's going on? Why are you acting like this to Liz? I've never seen you act like this before." He said.

Asuna glared at him, "I thought I told you that I'm not changing my mind." She said.

Kazuto shook his head, "And I'm not asking you to. All I want is an explanation." He said. He knew he couldn't force Asuna change her mind, and he didn't want to, but he did want to know why she has made this decision.

Asuna sighed, "My life before SAO was very different than how it is now. Back then, at school, I'd have crushes all the time. And every time I did, my 'friends'" she said, putting air quotes around the word friends, "would set me up with whatever guy I was interested in. But every time, the same thing happened." She then stopped, her breath having a small shake to it.

Kazuto wrapped his arm around her and gently guided her to the couch, so she could sit down. She smiled, "Thank you, anyways. Just before I'd be ready to tell the guy how I feel, I'd see one, or sometimes, a bunch of my friends making out, or flirting with him... After enough times, I finally accepted a harsh truth. They were just using me to learn more about what the guy likes, or what kind of girl he dates, then snatch him away from me..." There was silence.

Kazuto had no idea she'd been through such an ordeal, _"No wonder she acted the way she did when we first met in SAO. She couldn't fully trust people because of those girls she used to know."_ He thought.

Asuna took a deep breath before continuing, "After I woke up from ALO, and finished my rehab, those same girls approached me, saying they had found the perfect guy for me." Then, Asuna had a blush upon her cheeks, which was a surprise to say the least for Kazuto. "But I told them no, saying that I had already found the perfect man for me." She said, looking lovingly into his eyes.

The two shared a warm hug before Asuna continued, "So yeah. That's why I can't forgive Liz for what she did."

Kazuto smiled, "Asuna, I get why you're so angry at her, but you don't have any real reason to be." He said calmly.

Asuna eyed him with suspicion, "What are you talking about?" She wondered.

Kazuto leaned back on the couch, "You said you can't forgive her for what she did. But the fact is, she didn't do anything. If she had, she wouldn't have had the secret in the first place." Asuna's eyes widened a bit as she heard this, "I don't know how exactly she felt, about me," he continued, "but it's clear that she valued your friendship a lot more. Otherwise she'd have done exactly what those girls did."

Upon realization, Asuna began to shed tears, "Oh no... what have I done?" She said.

Kazuto rubbed her back soothingly, "It's not too late. You go and make things right with her, I'll watch Yui while you're gone."

Asuna replied by kissing him softly for a moment, "You're the best, Kirito."

Asuna went to Rika's home, she was invited in by Rika's father and she went up to her friend's room. When she arrived at the door, she knocked only to receive, "Go away, Mom. I don't wanna talk about it." She said through the door.

Asuna took a breath, "Not even to me?" She asked.

Liz soon opened up the door to look at her, "Asuna? What are you doing over here?" She asked.

Asuna took a deep breath, "I think we need to talk really quick." She said. Liz nodded and allowed her in.

The two stood across from each other, about a foot apart from one another. Neither of them knew whether or not it would be wise to start the conversation. They both took a deep breath, "I'm so sorry!" They both said, bowing their heads.

Due to their close proximity, when they both bowed their heads, they also bashed their foreheads into each other, "OWWW!" They both exclaimed. After taking five seconds to recover from their head injuries, they looked each other in the eyes, and before anyone knew it, they found themselves laughing.

Once their laughter calmed down, Asuna looked to the girl, "But, why are you sorry? I'm the one who overreacted." She said.

Liz shook her head, "You had told me about those tramps you used to be friends with before SAO. I was afraid if I told you, then you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore."

Asuna smiled, "Well then I've got some bad news for you." She said. Rika looked at her for a moment before Asuna smiled, "You're not getting rid of me that easily." Rika smiled as well and hugged her friend for all she's worth.

There was a brief silence before Rika spoke up, "Is this a bad time to say that Suguha also used to have a crush on Kazuto?" She asked.

Asuna laughed, "Oh I've known that for months now." She answered.

Rika raised an eyebrow, "Did she tell you?" She wondered.

Asuna then giggled, "No, she was just really bad at hiding it back then." She said causing the two to laugh again.

(A/N: Ok, that's it for this chapter! We dove a bit into Asuna's past in this chapter, hope you liked it.

Klein: Hey, what's with all the weird motorbikes backstage?

Ninja Writer: As I told Kazuto and Asuna in the last chapter, I'll explain in the final chapter. Until then...

Klein: Send us a review, would ya?)


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Week Before the Wedding- Kazuto

Months passed, and the wedding was right around the corner. Being one week away, Kazuto and Asuna were as busy as could be. They were juggling a dozen of different tasks and chores, to make sure everything got done in time.

But now, the two were each having their final party as single man and woman, respectively.

Kazuto was going with the guys to test a new feature on ALO, while the girls decided to stay in the apartment and have a movie night.

Since Yui was still too young to watch the kind of movies they were going to watch, they set up a slumber party for her at Kotori's home. Asuna grabbed the keys to the car, "Come on Yui, we gotta go!" She called.

Yui soon walked into view with her bag all set up, "I'm ready Mommy." She said with a smile. Asuna smiled back as they walked out to head to the car.

Kazuto arrived at Klein's house on his motorcycle. Klein had decided for them, that his house would be the destination for them. So, everyone was bringing their Amusphere gear with them. When he walked in, he saw everyone except Nagata.

He waved to everyone, "Hey guys." He said, catching everyone's attention.

Kouichirou smiled, "Hey man, you ready to try this out?" He asked.

Kazuto nodded, "You bet. It's been forever since I've been able to give it my best in a quest." He said. He's been holding back his abilities whenever he goes questing with Yui, in order to boost her self-confidence.

He then looked to the Yuuki man, "By the way, since when do you have an ALO account?" He wondered.

Kouichirou smiled, "Mei's been playing the game for about as long as it's been out. When we started dating, she got me an Amusphere and a copy of ALO, so we could play together. You've actually seen her before. You recall an Undine named Shiwa?" He asked.

Kazuto gaped, "What!? That's her?!" He asked in disbelief, "When we first met her, she was almost raped by two Spriggans."

Kouichirou nodded, "Yeah, she told me about that. I wouldn't let her log on alone for a month after that." He said as he shook his head, "Just do me a favor and don't tell anyone I told you. She likes to keep it a secret. For personal reasons."

Kazuto nodded, "Sure. No problem."

Just then, Nagata burst through the door, breathing heavy, "Sorry...I'm late..." He said as he panted.

Agil walked over to him, "What held you up?" He asked. "Oh, I was busy with Suguha when we were..." He stopped, noticing the glare Kazuto was giving him, "Uh...playing Shogi?" He said more as a question.

Kazuto pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

Soon, everyone logged onto ALO and all met up in a nearby bar in Yggdrasil City. Klein clapped his hands, "Alright! Here's what I know! It's called Guild War. Kirito, Agil, you guys remember when we formed a raid party to take down Laughing Coffin back in SAO?" Said men nodded, "Well, one of the people who was there must have said something to the programmers, and created this. How it works is two guilds agree to face off in the arena."

Kirito raised an eyebrow, "What arena? I've never seen any arena here."

Agil put a hand on his shoulder, "It's been a while since you've read the updates." He said as he pulled up a map and pointed at the tree, "It's right here. It was repurposed about five months ago."

Kazuto couldn't help the chill down his spine as he remembered the reason he first logged into ALO. Despite this, Kazuto smiled, "Seems almost fitting." He muttered to himself.

Recon raised his hand, "Wait a sec, none of us are in guilds. How do we compete?" He asked. Then, the male Undine, Yuuchirou (A/N: Give ya three guesses who he is, am I right?), nodded, "True, but we have just enough players here to start one. So, what's the name gonna be?" He asked.

Klein smiled, "I'm thinking we let Kazuto name it. This is his Bachelor's party, after all."

Kazuto hummed. It took him a moment before he smiled, "We'll be the Beaters." Everyone smiled and nodded. Kirito went over to a Guild Officer and created a guild named the Beaters, consisting of his friends.

They all quickly arrived at the dome for their Guild War when Recon looked over to Klein, "So how's the gameplay work?" He asked.

Klein gripped his sword, "It's an all-out battle. All members jump in and fight. Whichever Guild still has members standing, wins."

Yuuchirou looked over to him, "Wait, since we have the bare minimal number of members, we'll be at a huge disadvantage." He pointed out.

Klein chuckled, "That's why we've got Kirito. He'll more than make up for our lack of numbers." Kirito nodded as he gripped his sword.

Just before they were about to start, Kirito noticed he had been ignoring something in his inbox, "Hold up guys, I gotta look at something." He said. When he pulled it up, he was surprised that it came from Asuna.

" _Kirito,_

 _Klein told me in advance about what you were planning on doing for your Bachelor's party, so I thought I'd give you some extra strength. Think of it as my way of paying you back from when you gave me that rifle in STO. I know it's in the game, but please...try and be careful. I love you, my Black Swordsman._

 _Forever yours,_

 _Asuna._

Kirito grinned as he received the attachment that came with the message, which was her avatar's saber. He then equipped it, along with his normal sword. The look it gave him made Klein and Agil go into a state of déjà vu, both of them thinking the same thing, _"He looks just like he did in SAO."_

They arrived in the dome to see the enemy guild, with numbers nearing a hundred.

They saw the small guild number their opponents had and laughed, "This is our big challenge for the night?" One guy asked.

"This'll be over in no time!" Another one said. Kirito smirked and drew both of his swords.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Kirito was behind the enemy guild, and ten members had been killed.

Then Agil jumped high up, slamming harshly into the ground, sending a shockwave that killed another 15 men.

Klein, Yuuchirou, and Recon each assassinated 3 more that were too distracted.

The Beaters stared down their enemies with confident smirks on their faces before Kirito screamed out, "CHAAAAAAAARRGGGGEEEE!"

The battle was long and fierce, but with Recon focusing on healing, the Beaters pulled out a win. They were all sitting back in the bar in Yggdrasil City, watching whatever was on the broadcast, _"And she's done it!"_ Declared the announcer on the screen, _"The third Bullet of Bullets has been decided! Sinon the sniper, is our winner, and has earned the title of strongest player in Gun Gale Online!"_ A large number of people began cheering and toasting, but the group didn't care too much.

They were busy celebrating their own victory. Klein raised his mug, "To the Beaters' first official victory!" He said.

Yuuchirou raised his as well, "And to Kirito! May his marriage to Asuna be long and happy!" Everyone then raised their glasses and cheered.

Kirito smiled, glad to have such good friends by his side. He enjoyed, what might be, his final dive before getting married.

(A/N: That's it for this chapter! I thought it would be nice to, at least, mention Sinon, even if just once. And let's face it, if Death Gun and Kirito had never been in the third BoB, it's a pretty safe bet that she'd have won the tournament. We've still got a few chapters to go before the wedding, so don't drop your guard yet.

Sarada: So, this is what it's like backstage...

Ninja Writer: Seriously!? First Naruto sneaks in during the last show, but now you?!

Sakura: *Runs into view* There you are! You should know better than to just run off like that, young lady! *Turns to Ninja Writer and bows* I'm sorry for my daughter's intrusion.

Ninja Writer: *sighs* Forget about it. She's not the first...and I'll be damned if she's the last. Since you're both here, and you've got the audience's attention, you two can go ahead and say it.

Sakura & Sarada: Review Please!)


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Week Before the Wedding- Asuna

(A/N: You guys know the drill by now)

Months passed, and the wedding was right around the corner. Being one week away, Kazuto and Asuna were as busy as could be. They were juggling a dozen of different tasks and chores, to make sure everything got done in time.

But now, the two were each having their final party as single man and woman, respectively.

Kazuto was going with the guys to test a new feature on ALO, while the girls decided to stay in and have a movie night. Since Yui was still too young to watch the kind of movies they were going to watch, they set up a slumber party for her at Kotori's home.

Asuna grabbed the keys to the car, "Come on Yui, we gotta go!" She called.

Yui soon walked into view with her bag all set up, "I'm ready Mommy." She said with a smile. Asuna smiled back as they walked out to head to the car.

As they drove, Yui looked over to her mother, "Why can't I spend tonight with you, Mommy?" She asked.

Asuna smiled, "Oh Yui, I'd love to spend the night with you. But me and the other girls are going to watch a big girl's movie." She told her.

Yui made a pouty face, "But I am a big girl!" She insisted.

Asuna made a quiet laugh, "Of course you are, but the movie's gonna have a lot of kissing, and people saying how much they love each other..." She says in a mock baby voice.

Yui put her fingers in her ears, "BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" She said loudly, causing Asuna to laugh.

She glanced at the child through her rear-view mirror, "And that's why you're having a sleepover with your school friends." She said.

All the girls gathered at the Yuuki residence. Kyouko had left plenty of food and beverages in the refrigerator for the girls while she and Shouzou went out to have a night out of their own.

Mei was always stunned at the beauty of the mansion, "I swear I will never get used to such a fancy place." She said.

Suguha nodded, "I know, it's all just so beautiful."

Asuna shrugged, "Eh. I've come to prefer a simpler style." She said honestly.

The girls all sat at the dining table, eating dinner before putting in the movie. Suguha looked over to Asuna, "So, what made you and Kazuto decide on a traditional Japanese wedding?" She asked.

Rika nodded, "Yeah, I thought you'd go for the western style, considering it's how it happened in SAO."

Asuna smiled, "Well, to be honest, that's one of the reasons we chose to do it traditionally. It would have just felt like the same as back then. We wanted to get a brand-new experience. To have an experience that's unlike anything else in our lives. After all, it is gonna be our big day." She said with a small blush, "And also, after a lot of research we both agreed that Japanese weddings are so much more beautiful than the western ones." After a short while, they all finished eating and prepared to play the movie.

The girls put in a movie that everyone had seen a couple of times before, so they were really half watching. Mei looked to Suguha, "So how are things between you and Nagata? Things gotten any better?" She asked.

Two weeks prior, Suguha and Nagata had gotten into a big fight about a misunderstanding where Nagata thought Suguha was cheating on him, when she was actually being tutored for her physics class.

Suguha made a small smile, "We're doing a lot better. I've been making sure to make it up to him by trying to spend more time with him when I can. And I think we've really been doing great lately."

Keiko smiled, "That's great! I'm glad you made things work."

Rika grinned slyly, "Don't get him too happy, or else you'd find yourself either wearing a ring, or wearing him." She said, creating a collection of giggles from the other girls.

Suguha eyed her, "Remind me, who are you dating?" She asked.

The other girls then echoed, "Ooooooooohhhh!" Making Rika cross her arms in defeat.

Asuna laughed, "This has been great girls. Just what I needed." She said as she sighed, "These last few months have just been so stressful."

Keiko nodded, "I can imagine. Planning a wedding has to be difficult. Especially when you guys have to juggle Kazuto's job and your college classes."

Suguha smiled, "And that's why we're doing this. To give you one last hurrah as a single woman!"

As they continued to watch the movie, Rika hummed, "Say, does anyone know what the guys are doing? I couldn't get anything out of Klein or Agil." She asked.

Mei shook her head, "They're all playing a new player vs player thing on ALO, it's supposed to be crazy difficult and intense."

Suguha hummed, "I hope they'll be ok." She said, worried for her boyfriend and brother.

Asuna smiled, "No worries. I gave Kirito's avatar my saber so he can dual wield, just like he used to." All the girls teased her with an echo of "aaawwww!" making her blush.

After the teasing faded, Suguha raised an interesting question, "So, are you and Kazuto thinking of having a baby after the wedding?" She asked.

Asuna, who had just started taking a sip of water, did a spit take and began coughing, "Wh-what brought that up!?" She asked.

Suguha flinched slightly, "Well, I'm just saying...it's uh, it's something that a lot of couples think about. Besides, I'm not talking right away, I just meant... down the road someday."

Asuna, now slightly more calm, shrugged slightly, "I don't know, we've never talked about it... but... maybe..."

Keiko made a small smile, "Can I just say how amazing this all is?" She commented, "I mean, despite how terrible it was for SAO to be a death game, without it, none of us would know each other."

All the girls smiled, "That's true." Asuna said.

Mei smiled, "Hard to believe that we're all apart of each other's lives because of a death game."

Suguha raised her drink, "Then here's to Kaiyaba the psychopath! For building the death game that brought us all together!" She exclaimed.

All the other girls raised their drinks as well, "Cheers!"

Afterwards, the girls watched the rest of the movie in silence, allowing Asuna to think on all the events leading up to this point. _"I remember when I first met Kirito. At the time, we only teamed up because we had to. Nothing more, nothing less."_ She thought to herself, _"Then later, we met again after I became a part of Knights of the Blood Oath. He and I were total opposites. He hated my strategy to take down a field boss. And looking back, I can understand where he was coming from. And despite our differences, we worked together to solve the mystery of PK's in safe zones. That was when we officially became friends."_

She then put on a slight frown, _"Then there was everything with Kuradeel...and what he tried to do. And that's also when we had our first kiss, and it's when we got married in game."_ Her smile then returned, _"And not long after came wonderful little Yui. I absolutely adored her when she called Kirito Daddy..."_

She stood up and walked to a window to stare up at the night sky, _"And who could forget all the craziness that followed SAO. First was my kidnapping thanks to Sugou. Then I ran away from home, and Yui joined us in the real world. We confronted my parents... Kirito and I had our first real fight, our first date IRL... and so much more... I don't think I'll ever forget how scared I was when Takeru, father of Sachi, kidnapped Yui in order to draw Kirito into a death match."_

She then turned back to glance at her future sister-in-law, _"If it wasn't for Sugu, I don't think we could've beaten him."_

She took a deep breath as she looked at Mei for just a moment, _"When Mei revealed that she was Yui's sister, I was so freaked out and confused, that I couldn't think straight. But she proved to be a valuable ally in what was to come. Thanks to her, we were warned about Akechi, and knew in advance how dangerous he was."_

She then shuddered, _"But nothing could've prepared me for what happened in the courtroom. Kirito was held at gun point, and there was nothing I could do to save him...I'm so grateful to Mei and Kouichirou for having a plan for that...otherwise...Kirito would be..."_

She then shook her head, _"No! Don't think about that! It's in the past. Besides, after all of that, Kirito went above and beyond for me. He treated me to the fanciest restaurant in town, and, best of all...he proposed to me."_

She took a deep breath, _"And now, here I am. So close to a life with the man I love... So why am I so afraid?"_ She asked herself.

Mei saw Asuna and walked over to her, "Nervous about the wedding?" She asked.

Asuna nodded, "A little bit, yeah." She answered honestly.

Mei smiled at her reassuringly and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I think that's only natural. Marriage is about the biggest step a relationship can take. And not that many marriages last anymore." She then turned Asuna so that they were facing each other, "But I'm confident yours with Kazuto will."

Rika walked up to the two, "She's not the only one who knows it."

Keiko nodded, "We're all rooting for you two."

Suguha nodded as well, "And we always will." The girls then shared a big group hug.

Asuna smiled warmly, happy to have made such wonderful friends.

(A/N: That's it for this chapter! Sorry for the late update, but I was hit in the face with inspiration for something and I had to write it down, and I'm loving it so much, that it may be the next story I post after this one, but I'm still debating. Anyways, the trilogy is closing in on its finale, prepare yourselves. And please Review!)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Final Preparations

(countdown to wedding: 6 days)

The next morning, Asuna came home from picking Yui up from Kotori's house. She entered to see Kazuto waiting for them on the couch. He smiled, "Welcome home you guys." He said happily.

Yui ran up to Kazuto and hugged him, "I missed you Daddy!" She said cheerfully.

Kazuto smiled and hugged her back, "I missed you too." He said before looking over to Asuna, "You ready?" He asked.

Asuna nodded, "Yeah, just need a sec to put Yui's things down." She replied as she walked over to Yui's room.

Hours later, and the couple walk out of the Shinto Shrine, having finished their final rehearsal for their wedding.

Kazuto smiled, "Well that's it. Nothing left to do now but wait." He said.

Asuna sighed, "Yeah... it's great to know that the pressure is off." She said. As they drove home, Asuna gasped, "Oh God... we totally forgot..." She said.

Kazuto glanced at her, "Forgot what?" He inquired.

She blushed, "We forgot to decide where our honeymoon was going to be." She said, causing Kazuto to blush as well. He said nothing as he continued to drive towards the apartment, making Asuna curious, _"Wonder what he's thinking right now..."_

A few minutes later and they returned home, paid Suguha and Nagata for babysitting Yui, and sat themselves down for a late dinner.

After they ate, Asuna glanced to Kazuto, "Kirito?" She asked wearily, "You've been pretty quiet since I brought up the honeymoon. Is something wrong?" She asked.

He smiled and shook his head as he reached for his bag, diving his hand inside it, "I got these delivered two days ago, I was just waiting for the perfect time to surprise you." He said as he pulled out two plane tickets and handed them to Asuna.

She took them into her hands and inspected them shortly before her eyes widened in shock and disbelief, "Italy?! We're going to Italy!?" She asked with shocked excitement.

Ever since she was a little girl, she has always liked Italy, and always wanted to visit it.

She looked at him with a huge smile, "H-how did you manage to afford this?" She asked.

Kazuto smiled, "We had a little bit left over from our wedding savings, it was enough for two tickets, but since I wanted to make it even better for you, I used a bit of my own money to... well, take another look at the tickets." He told her.

She raised an eyebrow before doing as he instructed and gasped again, "First Class?!" She exclaimed. She then threw herself onto him, "You are absolutely the best fiancée ever!" She said as she barraged his face with kisses.

Once she was finished, she sat herself back up, "We're going to fly first class to Italy for our honeymoon! This is just all so unbelievable!" She stood up and rushed to her and Kazuto's room, "I gotta start packing!" She called out.

Not long later, Yui walked into the living room, "Daddy..." She said, eyes welling up with tears.

Kazuto spun his head around to see her and placed her on his lap, "Yui, what's wrong?" He asked.

Yui sniffled, "I had a bad dream... Y-you and Mommy disappeared... I couldn't find you anywhere... It was so scary..." The child said, clutching her father tightly.

Kazuto wrapped his arms around the girl in an effort to comfort the child, "Don't worry Yui. Your mom and I are always going to be there for you when you need us. We may not be right there by your side all the time, but that doesn't mean we're not with you."

Yui looked up at him, "What do you mean Daddy?" She asked. Kazuto smiled and placed his hand on his heart, "As long as you care for your mom and me, we'll always be there. In your heart." He told her.

Yui sniffled again and made a small smile, "So, you and Mommy will be with me wherever I go?" She asked.

Kazuto nodded, "That's right. And you'll always be with us." He said as he dried her eyes.

Yui hugged him again, "Thanks Daddy."

Kazuto tucked Yui back into bed before going into his and Asuna's room to see her debating which dress to pack. She caught him entering out of the corner of her eye, "Ah, Kirito, which one do you think would look better on me?" She inquired.

Kazuto smirked, "Kouichirou told me not to answer that one." He said jokingly, "But anyways, I wanna talk to you about something." He said.

Asuna smiled, "Sure thing. What's on your mind?" She asked cheerfully.

Kazuto sat down on the bed, "I think we need to talk about how we're gonna break the news about how we're gonna leave for our honeymoon to Yui." He told her.

Asuna's expression quickly turned serious, "Oh that's right... We're gonna be gone for a while... and it's not like we can take her with us... So, we also need to find a babysitter... This may not be as easy as I hoped it'll be." She said.

Kazuto smiled, "Don't worry. I bet we can find someone in our group who can watch her."

Asuna hummed, "Hey, what about your dad?" She offered.

Kazuto raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure that's a good idea? Considering his track record with responsibility for kids?" He questioned.

Asuna smiled, "I know, but he's clearly changed, otherwise he wouldn't have called you that day. Plus, he's got Koyome to back him up. Besides, he's the only one of Yui's grandparents that hasn't had any real bonding time with her. I think it'll be a good experience for her."

Kazuto furrowed his brow as he considered what Asuna had said. He soon flashed a smile, "Alright, I'll give him a call really quick. Hopefully, he's still up." He said as he walked out to the living room.

Kazuto dialed Roku's number and waited as it rang. Soon enough, he answered, _"Hello?"_ He asked.

"Hi Dad, is this a good time?" The younger man wondered.

" _Of course, what can I do for ya?"_ Roku inquired.

Kazuto took a small breath, "Asuna and I are gonna need someone to watch Yui while we're away at our honeymoon... and we were hoping you'd be available." He said.

Roku's voice began to get nervous, _"O-oh... I see... ah..."_ There was a pause before he said, _"Sure thing, son."_

Kazuto smiled, "Thanks Dad. I'll call ya back in a day or two, after we've gotten Yui prepared so we can figure out how we're gonna make everything work." He told his father.

" _Sounds good. I'm sure Koyome will be excited as well. Take care, Kazuto."_

"You too Dad." He said as he hung up the phone. He let out a sigh of relief as he went back into the bedroom.

Asuna, now wearing her nightgown, smiled as her fiancée reentered the bedroom, "What did he say?" She asked.

He said he'd watch her, though I imagine he's pretty nervous." He answered.

Asuna nodded in agreement, "Well, I'm sure he'll do fine. Like I said, he'll have Koyome to help him."

Kazuto made a small smile, "Yeah. That's true." He said before letting out a yawn, "C'mon, let's get to bed. I'm exhausted."

(A/N: That's it for this chapter! Sorry for the late update but I was... uh... distraught...

Sasuke: You mean when you and your girlfriend broke up?

Ninja Writer: *Sighs and pinches the bridge of my nose* You being here doesn't even shock me anymore...and yes...

Sasuke: Sounds rough.

Ninja Writer: How would you know? Sakura's the only relationship you've ever had!

Sasuke: Hn.

Ninja Writer: *Sighs* Whatever. Just do the thing.

Sasuke: Review please. He needs it.)


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Nagata's Plans

(Countdown to Wedding: 5 days)

Nagata was walking Suguha home after taking her out for lunch. Ever since they got the wedding invites, Nagata had been trying harder to be the "ideal boyfriend" for Suguha.

She smiled as she looked to him, "I had a lot of fun today, Shinichi." She told him.

He smiled back, "I'm glad. Wanna train tomorrow?" He offered.

Suguha nodded, "Yeah. Maybe this'll be the time you actually beat me." She said teasingly.

Shinichi chuckled, "Not likely, you're such a natural with a sword, it takes everything I have just to keep up with you."

Suguha smiled and hugged his arm, "Aw! I love you, my little ass-kisser!" She said jokingly, making them share a laugh.

After Shinichi returned to his own home, he received a text that read _"Meet me in Yggdrasil City."_

He recognized the number and quickly grabbed his Amusphere, "Link start!"

Recon quickly flew from a Sylph inn, to the courtyard of Yggdrasil City, where a Gnome of average height, appearance, and stats was waiting for him.

The Gnome nodded, "Took you long enough it's been a half hour since I sent that message."

Recon nodded, "Sorry, I was walking Sugu home after a lunch date." He explained.

"Well you'll be happy to know that I've just received your order. It's waiting in a safe at my shop for you."

Recon smiled, "That's awesome! I'll come by tomorrow and pick it up. Anything else?" He asked.

The Gnome shrugged, "While I was waiting for you, I asked around about Leafa, and frankly, I have to ask; what do you see in her?" He inquired.

Recon exhaled through his nose and looked up to the sky, "Everything that people like you don't." He answered honestly.

The Gnome scoffed, "Lord that was cheesy." He commented, "But whatever. I'll see ya tomorrow." He said before logging out.

Recon shook his head slightly before doing the same.

When he awoke, he sat up, removed his Amusphere, and decided to call Klein.

He soon picked up, _"Yo! How ya doing Shinichi?"_ He asked.

Nagata smiled, "I'm good, I just finished talking to _him_ that _it_ is finally ready... but...do you really think this'll work? I'm really not sure that this is the right time."

He heard Klein chuckle, _"Relax. I know what I'm doing. I've read three different surveys and they all say that this plan will work. Just relax about it."_

Nagata sighed, "Yeah. I guess you're right. Ok, thanks." He told the man.

" _Don't worry about it. See ya later."_

He went out to the dojo Suguha always trains at, wearing a Kendo Hakama.

She had given him a key so they could train together, but she wasn't there today. Instead, she had met with Kazuto, who was wearing his kendo equipment.

He pulled out his Shinai, "You ready to start?" Kazuto asked.

Shinichi quickly strapped on some Kendo armor and helmet before entering a basic Kendo fighting stance, "Don't hold back on me." He said.

Shinichi charged at Kazuto with a thrust to his body, which Kazuto easily side-stepped out of the way. Kazuto retaliated with a downward swing, Shinichi managed to block it just in time and pushed him off, which surprised Kazuto, _"He's better than I thought."_ He thought, _"I've watched him and Sugu train countless times before, but this time, something's different."_ He parried Nagata's incoming attack and backed away from his next attack, _"He's got a new drive. Something has become motivation for him. And a damn good one at that."_ He then proceeded to fight back.

The fight continued for three minutes, leaving them both on their knees, breathing hard. Shinichi made a weak smile at him, "Great match, Kazuto." He said.

Kazuto nodded, "Likewise. I've never seen you fight like that before. Anything good happen recently?" He inquired.

Shinichi laughed lightly, "No, not yet. But soon I hope."

(A/N: That's it for this chapter! It's not much, but it does its job. These next couple of chapters are going to let us explore how everyone is reacting to the wedding of Kazuto and Asuna, which means they'll be taking a break from the spotlight, so the others can have their moments. I love all the reviews I get from you guys, please send me some more!)


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Rika's Moved On

(Countdown to Wedding: 4 days)

Rika was walking down the street, on her way to the market to pick up groceries for her parents, when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye towards an alley. Curiosity taking over her, she stealthily sneaks into the alley, ducking behind a trash can to conceal herself as she looked on.

She saw a boy, who couldn't be much older than her, with brown hair and hazel eyes get thrown to the ground by a girl, also more or less in their age grouping, wearing the cliché biker outfit, "I'm warning you for the last time! Fork your cash over now, and you won't get hurt... too much."

Rika scowled at the girl, just about to reveal herself to defend the boy when she heard him chuckle. He stood up, "Thanks for that beating. Now I know exactly what you've got." He then sent a confident glare her way, "You're not getting one penny out of me!"

The biker girl smirked, "You're funeral!" She said as she charged her fist towards his face. With masterful technique, he swerved past her punch and circled around her. He dealt two sharp jabs to her right ribs, followed by a back-fist to her left ribs. Then he performed a sweep kick, knocking her onto her back.

The boy loomed over her, "Still wanna fight?" He asked. The biker grunted as she got up and ran off.

Rika revealed herself to the boy with a smile, "That was impressive. But why didn't you do that at the start?"

The boy shrugged, "I've known how to take a hit my whole life, so I use that to my advantage by letting the other guy- or in that case girl- take the first couple of strikes so I can get a feel for their styles." He told her.

Rika grinned before eyeing him curiously, "Hey, have we met before? You seem... familiar." She asked.

The guy raised an eyebrow before giving a similar curious glance to her as well, "Now that you mention it, you seem familiar too."

They hummed at each other before Rika gasped, "Cagoda from SAO! Is that really you!?" She asked in disbelief.

Said boy blinked as he remembered her as well, "Lizbeth?" He asked. The two of them hugged, "Wow!" He said, "I almost didn't recognize you without the pink hair."

Rika chuckled, "Yeah, and your hair is longer than it was back then, too." She pointed out.

Cagoda smiled, "Well, actually, my real name is Mako." He explained.

Rika smiled at him, "Mine's Rika." She said cheerfully.

Mako grinned back, "Hey, there's a nice little café nearby, wanna catch up? My treat." He offered.

Rika sighed, "I can't right now, I got shopping to do. But if you give me about two hours, I should be free."

Mako nodded, "Ok. Then I'll see you in two hours."

Rika flashed him a smile as she began to walk off, "I'm looking forward to it!"

Two hours later, Rika had paid for and dropped off the groceries, and was now walking towards the café to meet up with Mako. When she arrived, she saw Mako waiting for her at the doorway.

He smiled as he saw her approach him, "Hey Smithy." He said.

Rika laughed lightly, "You're still using that nickname?" She asked.

He chuckled, "Well, if it aint broke." He replied, sharing a laugh with her.

They sat themselves down and happily talked about their pasts and presents. "So," Rika asked, "what have you been up to since SAO cleared?"

Mako sighed, "Nothing too noteworthy really. Compared to SAO, this world is pretty damn boring." He then flashed her a smile, "Plus I miss visiting my favorite Smith Shop."

Rika giggled, "Stop it! You'll make me blush!" She said, her cheeks already becoming slightly rosy.

When Liz first opened her Smith Shop in Sword Art Online, one of her first customers, was a swordsman named Cagoda. Every time he returned, he would either want a new sword, or have essentially all his gear needing repairs.

Rika calmed her laughter, "Well, if you miss my shop that much, then get an account for ALfheim Online. My shop has re-opened its doors in Yggdrasil City." She told him.

Mako nodded, "I heard of that game. They say its flight system is a pioneer among VR games." He nodded again, adding a smile, "I'll sign up, but I'm gonna need a good weapon for not a lot of cash." He said.

Rika grinned slyly, "Funny you should say that, because I get the feeling my shop will be having a special deal where first time players get their first purchase 85% percent off. That should be just enough of a discount for you to afford a handy set of gear." She said.

Mako smiled, "Thanks a ton, Rika. I owe you big time." He told her.

Rika smiled shyly, "Well in that case..." she said quietly before shaking her head, "Never mind."

"No, what is it?" Mako pushed gently.

Rika blushed, "Well... it's just that... my friend is getting married in a few days... and I was hoping that... maybe... you could be my... plus one."

Mako blushed slightly as well before nodding, "Oh. Yeah, certainly. I'd be honored." He said as he wrote something down on his napkin, "Here. Send me a text later, so you can give me the details so I can know when and where to show up."

Rika nodded, still blushing slightly, _"What's up with me? Why can't I stop blushing?"_

An hour later and Liz was restocking her store in ALO. As she worked, she heard the door open up. She turned to face the customer with a smile, "Welcome to Lizbeth's Smith Shop!" She said cheerfully.

The male Salamander smiled, "Hey, I heard there's a sale going on for first time players?" He inquired, revealing who he was.

Liz smiled, "So this is your ALO form, is it?" She asked, taking in his appearance.

Rather than the robes with chest plate, like the usual Salamander, his was mostly armor, making him appear as a knight in red armor. He had dark red hair that went down to the base of his neck. Wearing a brown bandana, and was looking at her with yellow eyes. A basic broadsword on his left hip.

Liz nodded, "Looks good. It suits you." She then walked him over to the swords she had on display, "So here's some of the swords we have available, but if none of these are your style, we can talk about a custom order. Of course, it may take some time, depending on the materials needed to make it." She told him. Cagoda browsed the swords with a hum.

As he looked, Liz couldn't help the warm smile come across her face, _"He's just like he was back in SAO. Next to Asuna, he was my favorite customer. Every day I was hoping he would walk into the store. I never cared how much work he gave me, which was usually a lot. Hopefully, he'll give me a good challenge today."_ She was brought out of her trance when she heard the ringing of a sword being taken from the stand.

She looked over to see Cagoda holding a sword with red going down the middle of the blade, "What's this one?" He asked.

Liz shrugged, "Oh, that's just a basic fire elemental knight's sword. It's good for beginners, but it's far from a masterpiece." She said.

Cagoda shook his head, "Oh come on, you're like, the best blacksmith around. Any weapon of yours is a masterpiece." He told her, making the pinkette blush.

She looked away slightly before walking over to the counter, "Well, if you're ready to check out, then that'll be... 284 Yrd." She said, after mentally calculating the discount she promised him. He transferred the Yrd to her and she transferred the sword.

He soon equipped it and pulled it from its sheath, "Kinda completes the look, don't ya think?" He asked.

Liz giggled, "Yeah. It makes you look even more stuck up than usual." She said jokingly. He chuckled as he put his sword away. Liz then received a message, consisting of an order for a new spear.

She gasped at what the message wanted, "Seriously?! That's gonna take forever for me to find the materials!" She exclaimed.

Cagoda looked to his friend with concern, "What's the problem?" He asked.

Liz sighed in frustration, "Some player wants me to forge them this super powerful spear, but the problem is, I don't have enough of the main material here to make it, and it can only be found in a cave that's deep in Gnome territory." She then hung her head, "This is gonna be such a pain in the ass..." She said sullenly.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, "What if you have an escort?" He asked. Liz looked up to see him smiling at her, "I'd be happy to lend a hand." He told her.

Liz perked up instantly, "Seriously? You'll help me out?" She asked hopefully.

Cagoda nodded, "Of course! It's the least I can do since you gave me this sword for over half off." He then flashed her a big grin, "Plus, why wouldn't I want to help you? You're awesome on the battlefield!"

This caused Liz to blush. She was always commended for her abilities as a blacksmith, but no one ever acknowledged her abilities as a warrior. Liz smiled and hugged him over the counter, "You are the total best!" She said.

Twenty minutes later, and the two were closing in on the cave when they were stopped by a large Kobold monster wielding a two-handed hammer.

Cagoda took one look at the creature and said, "Kinda reminds me Illfang, ya know?" He said casually.

Liz gawked at him, "I'd be less worried about that, and more worried at the fact that his hammer is about to flatten us!" True to her words, the monster swung his hammer towards the pair.

Liz flew away from the monster, while Cagoda flew towards it, narrowly avoiding the hammer's strike as he drew his sword, "Time to go to work!" He declared. His sword ignited into flames as he slashed up the monster's body as he climbed ever higher. Liz watched as the monster failed time and again to grab him, or swat him away.

Cagoda's flight time had worn out some time ago, he was running up the monster's body, faltering occasionally, but never lost his momentum.

Liz watched as his falters were growing in frequency, "You'll never make it! He's too strong!" She yelled.

Cagoda smirked, "So was that biker girl!" He yelled back, "It's not about being stronger!" He jumped with all of his strength and arrived at the monster's eye, "It's about being smart!" He said as he thrusted his burning sword into the beast's left eye, causing it to roar in pain.

The roar created a soundwave that tossed Cagoda back.

Liz sprouted her wings and rushed full speed to catch him. She grabbed his left arm, "Now what?" She asked as she struggled to hold his weight.

He grinned back at her, "Let go!" He said, "My flight time cooled down, if we hit him now while he's down, we'll beat him! We won't get another chance like this!"

Liz nodded and released her grip. His wings came out and the two charged, their weapons in hand, and struck the monster's forehead, causing it to fall backwards, shattering just before it could crash into the ground.

Cagoda and Liz received a pop-up that showed their winnings. He looked to her with a smile, "Just another day in the office, am I right?" He said, causing her to laugh.

When her laughter died down, she looked at the loot she had gotten and gasped, "This ore, the material item that it dropped. It's what I need!" She said excitedly, "But I don't get it... I thought it was in the cave, not in front of it."

Cagoda hummed as he studied the cave, "Well... the size of the cave does suggest that the monster we just killed lived in there." He deduced.

Liz nodded, "True. But I still need one more." She told him. Just then, another pop-up appeared in front of her, showing more of the ore that she needed. She raised an eyebrow before looking towards Cagoda.

He looked back with a smile, "You're the reason I came here. I don't care about the loot. Besides, you need it more." He said with a kind smile.

Liz smiled again before hugging him out of the blue, _"I think I'm starting to get it now. What's been happening to me all day. Kirito... I think I'm over you."_

(A/N: That's it for this chapter! Hope you guys liked it. I was really disappointed with myself by how short the previous chapter was, so I worked hard to make this one longer. Read and Review!)


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Suguha's Suspicion

(Countdown to Wedding: 3 days)

Over the course of the last two days, Suguha noticed a change in Shinichi's behavior, whenever she would be around him, he'd grow nervous, and would hide a hand in one of his pockets. Not sure what to make of her boyfriend's new nervousness, she turned to Asuna.

Sugu had arranged a lunch with the bride to be, and they had just taken their seats, "So what's up?" Asuna asked.

Suguha looked away shyly, "Well uh... how did Kazuto act around you before he proposed?" She asked.

Asuna raised an eyebrow, "Well, he was generally nervous, especially when I'd enter the room... and now that I think about it, he did seem to reach for something in his pocket some times. Why?"

Suguha took a deep breath, "Because I think Shinichi might be thinking about proposing to me."

Asuna leaned forward, "Seriously?!" She asked.

Suguha nodded, "He's been acting really twitchy around me these last two days. It's like he's been hiding something, and he keeps talking about yours and Kazuto's wedding..."

Asuna looked at Suguha for a moment, "Ok, let's assume that he is, in fact, planning on proposing to you, how do you feel?" She asked.

"Terrified!" She said quickly, "I-I mean, I love him, definitely. But I'm even younger than Kazuto is! I'm not ready to be anyone's wife yet!" She said, "But at the same time... I've seen how ecstatic you've been since the proposal, and how you describe being engaged... it's really got me thinking..." She sighed, "I'm just so confused."

Asuna took the girl's hand in her own, "I know what you mean. While Kirito and I were married in SAO, I spent the first week just completely terrified and excited at the same time." She told her, "I was thrilled to be married to someone that I honestly loved, but at the same time, I was horrified that I wouldn't be good enough to keep him, or that some other girl would show up and steal him from me..." She then paused for a moment, "I never told him, but that's the reason I would get so upset when I heard about Sachi..." She then shook her head clear of the memory.

Suguha gripped Asuna's hand, "That's insane! Kazuto is crazy about you! He always has been! There is, literally, no way that he would ever leave you!" She told Asuna.

Said girl smile, "That's exactly what half of my mind was telling me. The other half, was freaking out at everything I did, scared that one wrong move would send him away from me."

She then paused for a moment, "The point is, listening to your mind, in a situation like this, is only going to confuse you. What you need to do, is listen to your heart."

After lunch, Suguha decided to dive into ALO, hoping that maybe she could figure some things out. Leafa walked into the forest and just walked aimlessly, not going to any place in particular.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a body had flown smack into her from her right. When they landed, the body was laying on top of Leafa sideways. She lifted her head, "Watch where you're going!" She groaned before noticing the person that ran into her.

The person on top looked at her, "Aunt Leafa?" The girl said.

Leafa focused in on the girls face to see it was Yui. She helped her niece up, "Are you ok?" She asked. Yui nodded before a loud howling noise was heard. The girls looked to see a large pack of Fire Wolves approaching. Leafa gawked at the sheer number of them, "Please don't tell me you tried to take down all of these monsters by yourself!" She said as she drew her sword.

Yui pulled out Harmony as well, "We were originally a party of seven players, but they were all beaten. I need help Aunt Leafa." She said.

Leafa nodded, "Ok, you just focus on fighting, don't worry about your health, I'll use my healing magic to keep you on your feet." Yui nodded and charged forwards.

The battle took thirty minutes, but after killing countless wolves then, finally, the alpha of the pack, the monsters were in retreat. The girls were hunched over, hands on their knees, breathing hard, "That was way too close..." Leafa said, "Next time you try to take on a hoard like that, have me or one of your parents helping you. Otherwise, it's way too dangerous."

Yui looked down, "Yes Aunt Leafa." She said.

Leafa smiled and hugged her, "You're not in trouble, Yui. I just worry about you." She assured the child in teenage form.

Yui smiled and hugged her back, "Thanks for helping me Aunt Sugu!" Not long later, Yui decided she needed a break and logged out.

Leafa continued her walk and stumbled on a river, where she noticed a male Spriggan proposing to a female Spriggan. Leafa watch the girl's reaction and contemplated her situation.

She considered how the Spriggan girl reacted to the proposal and took a deep breath, "I think I know now." She said with a small blush on her cheeks.

(A/N: That's it for this chapter. The situation with Yui was inspired by two different scenarios in SWTOR that I had been in. The part where Yui was the last in her party was from when I was in a four-player team and we were fighting the final boss of a flashpoint quest, he had taken everyone out except my Jedi. It was a close match, but I was able to beat him with, like, ten HP left. The part where it took one hour was from my Trooper's battle with Tavis (Final boss of chapter 1 in Trooper story). It, literally took me a half hour to beat him. Hope you liked it. Review please!)


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Friend's Dilemmas

(Countdown to Wedding: 2 days)

Klein dragged himself over to the Dicey Café. He had just been rejected-rather harshly- by, yet another, woman. He sat down at the bar and Agil, knowing what Klein was going to order, poured him a glass of his usual drink, "Here ya go. Anything else I can get for you?" He asked.

Klein looked up at his bald friend, "Am I pathetic, or something?"

Agil sweat dropped at the question, "Uh... I'm not sure how to answer that." He replied.

"It's just," Klein explained, "every time I try and ask a girl out, no matter what I do or say, she always winds up saying no. Some say it worse than others." He grimaced at the memory of his most recent rejection.

Agil sighed, "Well, is it possible that maybe you come on a bit too strong to the girls?" He asked. "I mean, think about it. Every one of your pickup lines I've heard, have had some kind of sexual innuendo. Maybe if you ease off of that, you'd have better luck." He suggested, "But why you worrying about it all of a sudden?"

Klein sighed, "Almost everyone is bringing a plus one to Kazuto and Asuna's wedding. Sugu is bringing Shinichi, Kouichirou's got Mei, I even heard that Rika's bringing a date!" He exclaimed, "The only one who isn't bringing a date is Keiko, and that's probably just because of her age."

Agil shook his head, "Relax. There's nothing saying you have to bring a date. It's not exactly mandatory."

Klein sighed, "I know... Oh well, at least I can say that I tried."

Rika sat in her room, pondering a number of things regarding Mako. She never imagined that she'd meet such a good friend again. In fact, Cagoda had been hired by Liz for the Smith Shop for material collection. That way, she can keep running the store while he goes out and gets the necessary materials for her store.

Rika was brought out of her thoughts when her phone started ringing. She looked at the ID and saw it was Keiko. She hit the answer button and raised it to her ear, "Hey Keiko, what's up?" She asked.

" _Just making sure you're ready. Day after tomorrow is the wedding."_ She reminded.

Rika smiled, "Don't worry about me. I'm all set, I've even got a date." She said. Keiko gasped, _"Really!? Who is it?"_ She asked.

Rika then explained what had happened a few days ago, and how she had known him.

" _Wow, it sounds like you two really hit it off."_ Keiko noted, _"So are you two boyfriend and girlfriend already?"_

Rika exhaled through her nose, "No. I do really like him, but this time, I wanna get to know the guy a little bit before I start falling for him. It might work out, it might not. Right now, I'm just glad he's around." She said.

There was a split-second pause before Keiko spoke again, _"That was really deep, Rika. I think Asuna's rubbing off on you."_ She said lightly.

Rika laughed slightly, "Maybe, well I'll catch ya later. Bye!"

" _Bye!"_

Nagata walked around in a near empty apartment, fiddling around with something in his pocket, "Man I hope this works... If nothing else, I hope it goes better than my first attempt to kiss her." He said, grimacing slightly as he recalled that less-than-perfect moment.

He sighed to himself, "I need to be more confident. Like Kazuto is." He thought back to when Kazuto and Asuna had first announced their engagement.

 _Flashback_

 _While Asuna was talking to Rika, Nagata walked up to Kazuto. He shook hands with the former beater, "Congrats, Kazuto." He told him._

 _Kazuto nodded, "Thanks Shinichi, It was a lot harder than I thought to have the courage to actually propose to her." He said._

 _Nagata raised an eyebrow, "Really? Than how did you do it?" He wondered._

 _Kazuto took a deep breath, "I guess I just followed my instincts."_

 _Flashback End_

"That's what I need to do here. I have to go with my gut. Hopefully, it'll pay off in the long run." He said to himself as he exited the apartment to meet Suguha and the rest of the Kendo team for practice.

Suguha was watching Shinichi sparring against one of the other members of the team. Suguha had noticed that he has been improving at a much faster rate than he normally did.

This caused Sugu to ponder her decision on what her answer would be if he proposes to her. She shook the idea from her head and focused on the group. _"I need to keep my head clear! If not, I may say the wrong thing when it actually happens! And that is the last question I need to give the wrong answer to!"_

One of the other female members noticed her inner conflict, "You alright, Sugu? You seem distracted."

Suguha smiled and slightly shook her head, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... got a lot on my mind." She answered distantly.

The girl tilted her head, "Trouble with Shinichi?" She guessed.

Suguha sighed, "I don't know. Guess I'll just have to see to find out."

(A/N: That's it for this chapter! So sorry for the crazy late update. I was having the worst time coming up with a plot for this chapter. I kept coming up with and trashing one idea after another. Anyways, it's the next chapter that we return our focus back to Kazuto and Asuna, so don't let your guard down yet! Appreciate your patience! Review please!)


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Final Preparations

(Countdown to Wedding: 1 day)

Kazuto woke up to see Asuna, still asleep, clinging tightly to his body with her head resting on his shoulder. He smiled before attempting to get up, however, Asuna's grip was stronger than he expected, "Not so fast, Kirito." She said, opening her eyes to look into his.

Kazuto smiled down at her, "Asuna, we do have things to do today." He reminded her.

Asuna nuzzled her head against the crook of his neck, "I don't care. Tonight, we're gonna have to sleep apart, so I'm not gonna let go of you just yet Bankrupt Boy." She told him, using her Monopoly nick-name for him.

Kazuto sighed happily and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I suppose there are worse ways to spend a morning." He said sarcastically. Asuna simply chuckled before allowing herself to relax in his arms once more.

An hour later, and Kazuto was finally able to get himself and Asuna out of bed. When they walked into the living room, Yui looked at them with a pout, "Finally! I'm hungry!" She whined.

Asuna giggled, "Sorry sweetie, I'll get to work on breakfast right away." She told the child.

Kazuto placed his hand on her shoulder, "I'll help you out." He said, causing Asuna to smile warmly at him.

Yui smiled as well and raised her hand, "Ooh! I wanna help too! Can I?" She asked.

Kazuto chuckled and placed Yui on his shoulders, "Alright, let's all work on breakfast!" He said.

After breakfast, the three of them sat together in the living room. Asuna looked over to Yui, "Alright, Yui, there's one thing we need to find out before we do anything else." She told the young girl.

Yui tilted her head, "What is it, Mommy?"

Kazuto shifted in his seat, "Well, tomorrow is the day when your mom and I get married, and according to tradition, that means that she and I will need to sleep in separate places tonight." He explained.

Asuna nodded, "So we need to know which of us you're going to spend the night with. We can't leave you with a babysitter, because we're all going to be really busy tomorrow." She added.

Kazuto then placed a hand on Yui's shoulder, "You won't hurt anyone's feelings, no matter who you choose. So, don't worry about that."

Yui hummed in thought for a few minutes before saying, "I wanna go with Mommy." She said.

Asuna nodded, "Ok, then Yui and I will take the car tonight. Kirito, do you think you'll be alright, driving your motorcycle tonight?"

Kazuto smiled and nodded, "Don't worry, Asuna. I'll be fine."

Hours had passed, with the three enjoying their last day before everything changed. They played bored games, spent a little time in ALO, just about everything that they would do on a time off from everything.

Soon, it was evening and the three of them were preparing to split up. Kazuto was going back to his old house with Sugu and Midori, while Asuna was taking Yui with her back to the Yuuki Manor.

Kazuto knelt down to hug Yui, "I'll see you tomorrow at the shrine Yui." He told her.

Yui hugged back as tightly as he could, "Bye Daddy." She told him before releasing her father and walked into the car.

Asuna hugged him tightly, "It's going to be so strange sleeping without you, Kirito." She whispered.

Kazuto smiled, "It'll be difficult for me too. But we can do it. Somehow."

Before anything else could happen, Asuna grabbed Kazuto's cheeks and kissed him with passion. Kazuto was caught quite off guard, but welcomed it, all the same.

Not long later, Asuna broke the kiss with a fierce blush upon her cheeks, "I just wanted to kiss my boyfriend one final time before he became my husband." She told him.

He blushed as well before nodding, "Next time we meet, we'll be moments away from getting married." He thought out loud.

The two of them paused, dead in their tracks. Suddenly realizing just how real things had become for the two of them. Both of them began to feel extremely nervous about the wedding. Kazuto cleared his throat, "Well, uh... we'd better... get going..." He said.

Asuna nodded, avoiding eye contact, "Yeah... I'll um... See you tomorrow. I love you." She told him.

Kazuto smiled back, "I love you too." They then split up and went to their respective vehicles before driving off in separate directions.

As she drove, Asuna heard Yui sigh, and looked back at her, through her peripheral vision, "Something wrong, sweetie?" She asked.

Yui looked towards her mother with sorrowful eyes, "I'm really gonna miss Daddy tonight. Why do you and Daddy have to spend tonight away from each other? Is something wrong?"

Asuna parked the car in the side of the road and turned to face the young child with a smile, "Don't worry sweetheart, nothing is wrong. It's an age-old tradition for the bride and groom to stay apart for the whole day, until they meet inside the shrine for the ceremony." She explained, "I think it's supposed to be good luck, or something, but I'm not certain. Just don't worry, Yui."

Kazuto continued driving down the road. His mind constantly wondering back to Asuna and Yui. _"I never thought about it before, but this is the first time I'll be on my own again since I saved Asuna from Sugou back in ALO. I never thought the day would come when I would wish I wasn't going solo again. Being this way again after so long is so..."_ He then shivered slightly, _"Cold."_

Asuna and Yui arrived at the Yuuki manor and was greeted by Tadashi, who had just walked out of the house. He saw the two and smiled, "Lady Asuna, young Lady Yui. It's good to see you both doing well." He then faced Asuna and bowed, "I never got to express my congratulations on your engagement to Mister Kazuto."

Asuna smiled back and made a small bow as well, "Thank you, but what brings you here?" She asked.

He nodded, "Your brother is very close to leading RECT Inc. so I came here to help walk him through some of the procedures." He then nodded to the both of them, "Well, I'll see you both tomorrow." And with that, he left.

The two girls got themselves comfortable in Asuna's old room. Yui, who was already really missing her father, requested that she and Asuna share the same room, and of course, Asuna obliged to her daughter.

As Asuna was pulling out her pajamas, she looked over to her desk and noticed something that she wasn't expecting, "My old Nerve Gear helmet..." She said, having mixed emotions about the device in front of her.

Kyouko walked into the room, "Anything I can get you girls?" She asked.

Asuna stood up straight and looked to her mother, "Hey, Mom? Why do you guys still have my Nerve Gear helmet? To be honest, I thought you would've thrown it out by now." She wondered.

Kyouko smiled softly, "True, I was tempted to do so, quite a few times. But... after you first brought Kazuto here... I'm not sure why, but I couldn't bring myself to throw it out." She said as she walked further into the room, "I suppose it's because that if it wasn't for you putting it on, you'd have never met Kazuto and become the woman you are now."

"Mom..." Touched by her mother's words, Asuna hugged Kyouko as tightly as she could.

Meanwhile, Kazuto had made himself comfortable in his old room, "Was my room always this bland?" He asked, looking at the bare walls of his room.

The apartment that he, Asuna and Yui were living at had pictures of family, and screenshots from ALO in basically every corner of it, so for Kazuto to return to his plain bedroom was very unusual. He sat down on his bed, and closed his eyes, _"For as long as I can remember, I've always been a solo player. Always having only, myself to rely on, not because everyone was too weak, but because that was just who I was. Then, I met Asuna. And, before I knew it, I began to rely on her in battle against bosses and field raids. Then there was also Klein, Agil, Liz, Scilica...Everyone. I had changed without ever realizing it."_

He was brought out of his thoughts when Suguha walked into his room, "Hey Kazuto, I thought that, since your fiancée is back at her old place, that maybe you could use some company." She told him.

He smiled, "Thanks sis."

They finished talking about one of their older missions on ALO when Kazuto changed the subject, "So, has Shinichi been acting weird with you lately?" He asked.

Sugu shrugged her shoulders, "A little bit, why do you ask?" She wondered.

"Last time I saw him, he had something different about him that I couldn't figure out. Are you sure he hasn't been doing things with you?" He asked.

Suguha raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you seriously going to ask that, when I can come back by texting Asuna every embarrassing photo Mom and I have of you when we were younger?" She asked defiantly.

Kazuto glared at her, "Answer the question Suguha." He insisted.

There was a brief silence before Suguha sighed in defeat, "No. We almost did, I admit it, but I stopped him. I told him I wasn't ready, and it hasn't been brought up since." She said irritably.

Kazuto nodded, "Good. I don't want him taking advantage of my little sister." He said. As angry as she was with him, she couldn't help but smile when he called her his sister. He hasn't said that much since he woke up from SAO.

She patted him on the shoulder, "Well, I'm gonna meet some of the girls for some Kendo training. See ya, bro." When she left, Kazuto laid down in bed and decided to go to sleep early.

As he slept, he would, every once in a while, subconsciously reaching out for Asuna, even though she wasn't there.

Unbeknownst to him, Asuna would occasionally do the same thing to try and reach Kazuto.

(A/N: That's it for this chapter! It's gonna take me a little while to make this next chapter, it's the second to last chapter in the story, but it will be the longest by far. I'd like to thank GameLord The Hitman in advance. He's been a whole lot of help with information for the story and has provided me with loads of information about traditional Japanese Weddings. So, thanks a bunch dude! As for everyone else, take it away you guys!  
Naruto, Sasuke & Sakura: Review please!

Boruto and Himawari: Thanks for reading!

Sarada and Yui: You're all great!

Ninja Writer: Couldn't have said it better myself.)


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The First Step Towards the Rest of Our Lives

(Wedding Bells Ringing! Day of the Wedding has arrived!)

Asuna woke up, bright and early, and eased herself out of bed so she doesn't wake the girl up. When she walked out into the living room, she found Keiko, Rika, Kyouko, Midori, Koyome, Mei and Suguha.

Kyouko saw her daughter walk in and smile, "Good morning sweetheart. Ready for your big day?" She asked.

Asuna smiled shyly, "I feel like my stomach is doing summersaults... I'm so nervous and I don't even really know why." She told her. She really was ecstatic about the idea of marrying Kazuto, and spending the rest of her life with him, but she still couldn't shake this nervousness in her.

Kyouko offered a reassuring smile and sat down with her on the couch, "You're worried that something is going to go wrong. You fear that you're going to trip over your kimono as you walk down the aisle, or that Kazuto will mess up his lines, or that the priest will say the wrong thing, or that the cake will fall over, along with a million and one other possibilities where something bad happens." She told the young bride, "I know, because all of those things went through my mind on my wedding day to your father. And I guarantee you that, when the time comes, you'll be giving Yui this same talk when the day comes that she gets married. It's a thing that goes through the minds of all young ladies in this position." She then squeezed Asuna's hand, "But I promise you. Everything is going to go perfectly. So, try to relax."

Asuna smiled as she stood up, "Alright! Let's get going! I'm not gonna get married in my PJ's!"

Kazuto woke up a bit groggily as he dragged himself out of bed. His body wanted nothing more than to sleep in, but fortunately, his mind was stronger.

Even he couldn't sleep in on his wedding day.

He walked into the living room and found Klein, Agil, Roku, Mako, Shinichi Shouzou and Kouichirou. He rubbed his eyes to shake himself awake, "Are we all ready?" He asked.

Roku chuckled, "Calm down, son. We've got plenty of time before we need to be getting you ready. We still haven't even had breakfast yet. Slow down." He told him.

Kazuto sighed, "I know, I guess I'm just anxious." He said.

Shouzou grinned, "And nervous as hell, am I right?" He asked.

Kazuto chuckled, "You got me."

Shouzou chuckled, "I was the same way when I married Kyouko." He told the boy.

Roku put a hand on his shoulder, "I was a nervous wreck when I was getting ready to marry your mother."

Upon hearing mention of his mother, his thoughts focused on Yuna, remembering all the things she told him on the video.

Roku took one look at his son and could guess what he was thinking. He placed a hand on his shoulder, "She'd be so proud of the man you became, Kazuto. As am I."

Kazuto smiled as he stood up, "Alright, let's have something to eat, then let's head out."

One and a half hours later, and everyone was at the Shinto Shrine, preparing the bride and groom for their wedding. Kazuto's kimono was a traditional black Montsuki. It didn't take long for him to get into it, receiving help occasionally from Roku, so he and a few of the other men in there were left to wait until it was his cue to leave.

Kazuto walked over to Mako, "So how do you know Rika?" He wondered.

Mako smiled, "Well, according to her I'm her third favorite customer for her smith shop. Right below you and Asuna." He explained, "Actually, my character now works for the smith shop. I hunt for the materials she needs for the shop, while she stays behind to run the place."

Meanwhile, Rika, Keiko, Suguha, Kyouko and Midori were helping Asuna into her kimono. Like Kazuto, she went with a traditional wedding kimono. Hers was a white Shiromuku with red lining. Once finished, she stood and waited to be called.

She looked over to her mother with a nervous smile, "Were you as nervous by this point as I am?" She wondered.

Kyouko made a light chuckle, "Well, let's see." She then placed her hand on her daughter's forehead, "Nope. I was actually worse than you are. I was sweating like a pig, and shaking like a Chihuahua. I couldn't stand still. You're doing great sweetheart."

Asuna smiled at her mother's reassurance. She then looked over to Rika, "So, since we have some time before I have to go out there, tell me a bit more about Mako." She said with a smile.

Rika smiled back, "He's a funny guy. He's also really reliable, which is why I hired his avatar to be my material collector."

Asuna saw the tiny blush in her cheeks and grinned, "Sounds more like a boyfriend than an employee." She told her friend.

Rika's blush grew slightly, "What!? N-No, o-o-o-of course not... I m-mean maybe... uh... I don't... I don't know."

Asuna couldn't help but laugh, "Now I see why you always did it with me about Kirito. It's kinda fun!" She said with a giggle.

Rika glared playfully at her best friend, "But seriously though, I really don't know if he and I will become a thing or not. It's just not something that I'm worried about right now."

Asuna nodded, "I understand. Well is it time yet!?" She asked.

Suguha let out a small laugh, "Relax, we still have one hour left!" She said.

Asuna sighed, "I can't stand this waiting anymore!" She complained.

30 minutes later, Kazuto was sitting on a chair when he noticed Shinichi was visibly nervous about something.

He smirked, "Relax Nagata. I'm the one who's supposed to be nervous here." He said jokingly.

Shinichi snapped out of his trance when he heard this and rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry, guess I just have a lot on my mind." He said, messing with something in his pocket.

Kazuto raised an eyebrow, but chose not to ask. _"This is mine and Asuna's big day."_ He thought to himself, _"Whatever Nagata is up to can wait until after we get back from Italy."_

Back in the bridal chamber, Asuna was telling the girls how Kazuto surprised her with a trip to Italy for their honeymoon.

Keiko smiled brightly, "Wow! That's so incredible Asuna!" She commented.

Said girl smiled back, "I know! He's so amazing!" She said with a blissful sigh, "And he's about to be my husband..."

Rika smirked, "Don't go into la-la-land on us. You've only got about 20 minutes before you get married." She said.

Asuna snapped out of her thoughts and groaned, "I can't stand this waiting!" She complained.

Midori giggled, "Would it help if I brought Yui in here?" She asked.

Asuna nodded, "Yes please."

Returning to Kazuto.

He had been entertaining Yui, who had begged Roku to bring her in. She looked up at her father and asked, "Daddy, why was Grandpa talking about me staying with him and Grandma Koyo?" She asked.

Kazuto face palmed, _"Dammit! I knew we had forgotten something!"_ He cursed mentally.

He picked Yui up and placed her on his lap, "You see Yui. Tomorrow, your mom and I are going to be going on our honeymoon." He explained.

Yui tilted her head, "What's that, Daddy?" She asked.

All the guys watched Kazuto in amusement, wondering how he was going to get himself out of this one.

Kazuto grinned nervously, "Uh... well... think of it as a... little trip for your mom and I. It's really boring for kids, so that's why you'll be with your grandpa Roku for a little bit." He could see the disappointed look on her face that she wasn't gonna be going. He lifted her chin up to look her in the eyes as he smiled, "Don't worry Yui, we'll call you every day."

Yui smiled, "Can you bring me a souvenir too?" She asked.

Kazuto smiled, "You bet!" He agreed happily.

Just then, Midori opened the door, "Sorry to interrupt gentlemen, but Asuna was wondering if Yui would be able to pay her a visit."

Yui smiled and rushed out the door, leaving Midori behind.

Midori chuckled before looking at Kazuto with a proud smile, "I'm so proud of you Kazuto." She said.

He smiled back, "Thanks Aunt Midori. I wouldn't be the way I am without you looking out for me." He told her.

Their conversation was cut short when Yui came back and grabbed her hand, "Come on Grandma! Show me where Mommy is!" She said excitedly.

Midori giggled, "Alright, I'm coming. I'm coming." She said as Yui dragged her around.

Asuna sat neatly in a chair, waiting very impatiently for her cue to go out. A moment later, Midori returned, following immediately after came Yui, who gasped as she saw her mother's kimono, "Wow Mommy! You look so pretty!" She gushed.

Asuna smiled and lifted the young child onto her lap, "Thank you Yui." She then sighed, "Let's just hope daddy thinks so too." She added quietly enough where Yui didn't hear. She looked up at the clock and mentally groaned, _"Still 15 minutes left!? This waiting is killing me!"_ She thought to herself.

Yui continued to smile, "So where are you and Daddy going for your trip?" She asked curiously.

Asuna made a small smile, "We're going to Italy. It'll be for about three weeks. Can you be good for your grandpa Roku while we're gone?"

Yui furrowed her brow and nodded, "You bet, Mommy!" She said before giggling at her own silliness. Asuna couldn't help but giggle along with her as the two simply enjoyed each other's company.

Kazuto noticed Shinichi was growing nervous again. He raised an eyebrow, "Ok, this is the third time I've seen you so nervous. What the heck is going on with you?" He finally asked.

Shinichi jumped at his question, "U-uh...I'm just... worried about... making a fool of myself... you know, in front of Suguha." He said.

This, however, was only a half truth. He was also worried about the small metal item in his pocket.

Kazuto sighed, "Well relax. If she was going to leave you because you're a little odd, she would have by now." He said.

Kazuto knew full well that what he just said could've been seen as a bit harsh, but he wanted to put an ease to Nagata's worries. So, he could put an ease to his own.

Shinichi sighed deeply, "Yes. You're right. Thanks Kazuto."

Kazuto nodded and closed his eyes, _"Asuna... I hope you're not as nervous about today as I am. Because I want this day to be absolutely perfect for you."_ He thought to himself.

He then walked over to a window and stared out it, gazing at the sky above him, _"Mom... I hope you're watching me. Don't worry, I'll keep taking my studies seriously. You had a reason to worry about how I'd act around girls."_

He then subconsciously lifted a hand to his cheek, _"But don't worry, I've always respected them. I even found a girl I can spend the rest of my life with. You would've loved her Mom. She's wearing the ring you told Aunt Midori to give me._ _I've never once taken her for granted. I've messed up along the way, there's no doubt about that. But I must be doing something right, or I wouldn't be 10 minutes away from getting married. And I do have a dream. I'm going to design my own VRMMO. It's gonna be tough, but I won't back down! I'll chase this dream with everything I've got! And I'll make it a reality, just like you told me to."_

He wiped a tear that had threatened to fall from his eye, _"I'll be safe, I promise. I love you Mom."_

What happened next, was nothing short of completely puzzling.

While Kazuto knew, the other guys were on the other side of the room, minding their own business, he could've sworn he could feel a soft, gentle hand rest on his shoulder. And he could swear he heard a woman's voice whisper into his ear, _"I love you too Kazuto."_

And then, just like that, the sensations had disappeared.

Roku snapped his fingers in his ear to bring him back, "Everything alright? You've been standing dead still for seven minutes."

Kazuto blinked for a minute before nodding, "Yeah... I'm uh... I'm fine." He said.

Roku grinned, "Good, because it's time for you to get out there."

Kazuto nodded and left the room, "It's finally time."

Asuna sat in the room with Yui, still talking peacefully, when Shouzou walked in, "Asuna?" He asked. Yui scooted off her mother, allowing her to stand up.

The man smiled proudly at his daughter, "You look absolutely beautiful. Just like your mother." He told her.

Asuna blushed with a smile, "Is it time?" She asked. Shouzou nodded and held out his arm.

Asuna took it and walked out with him, "It's finally time."

Kazuto and Asuna met each other in front of the door to the main room.

Asuna was captivated by the sight of Kazuto in his Montsuki. He was never the person that would wear anything outside of casual attire, unless of course it was a special occasion. She's seen him in a collared shirt and khaki pants occasionally for dates, and then there was when he wore that suit on the night he proposed to her, but looking at him right now. She would tell you that he's never looked as handsome or mature as he does now.

Kazuto was left absolutely breathless at the sight before him. The Shiromuku that Asuna was wearing had all of her favorite colors. Under her head piece, he could just barely tell that her hair was up in a bun, something he had never seen from her before. There was a broad smile on her lips and a blush on her cheeks, her lips were noticeably colored. This was unusual because, despite her rich background, she was never a big fan of makeup. Kazuto never once caught her wearing any. _"I suppose it makes sense."_ He thought to himself, _"Occasions don't get much more special than this."_

Kazuto was the first to break the silence between the two of them, "Wow... Asuna you... uh... wow..." He said.

Asuna's blush deepened, "Y-you two..." She said pitifully. The two of them had spent the last hour coming up with things to say to each other, but their appearances have left the both of them at a loss for words.

Shouzou guided Asuna to where they were standing just three feet in front of Kazuto.

Roku stepped back as Shouzou looked dead into Kazuto's eyes, "Kazuto Kirigaya. I'll admit that when you first told me about your connection to Asuna, I was hesitant. However, after hearing the way you talked about her, and the look that was in your eyes when you watched her in the hospital room. I came to accept you as an important piece of her life. I just didn't quite realize just how important you were. From the moment Asuna woke up, the two of you have been inseparable. True, you may have had a few fights with one another, but your love for each other only grew stronger. Her entire life, it has been my role as her father to care for, protect, and provide for her. And now, I pass that task on to you, Kazuto Kirigaya." He said as he removed his arm away from Asuna.

Kazuto smiled, "Don't worry sir, I'll take good care of her. I promise."

Asuna gave her father a tight hug, "I love you so much Daddy." She whispered to him.

Shouzou smiled brightly, "I love you too, Asuna."

Then, Asuna went and stood by Kazuto's side, "Well..." He whispered to her, "This is it. Are you ready?"

Asuna smiled up at her soon-to-be husband and smiled, "I can hardly wait." She whispered back.

Meanwhile, all the guests were sitting in rows, waiting for the bride and groom to appear, Suguha was on her way back from the restroom.

Klein, sitting in front of Shinichi, turned back to look at him, "You all set to ask her?" He asked.

Nagata nodded and flashed him the item in question, "I'll just need a chance to ask her." He then sighed, "I just hope she says yes."

Klein smirked at him, "Relax. The girl's crazy about you. No way she'd turn you down."

Nagata exhaled through his nose, "I guess you're right."

Just then, Suguha returned and sat down beside Shinichi, "What were you guys talking about?" She asked curiously.

Shinichi simply shook his head, "Nothing really. Just guy stuff." He stated.

On the other side of the aisle, Mako and Rika were sitting together. He looked around, "I hope things go well, for Kazuto's sake. He was a nervous wreck back in his changing room." He told her.

Rika chuckled, "Can't be any worse than Asuna was. She wouldn't sit still, no matter what we did or said." She said with a laugh.

Mako smirked, "So, uh... this may or may not be the best time, but where exactly is this," he gestured between the two of them, "going? I mean, I really like hanging out with you and all, but... the idea of dating makes me kinda nervous."

Rika sighed, "Yeah me too. So, how about we just take it slow. We'll figure stuff out along the way." She suggested.

Mako nodded. "Sounds good." Just then, they heard the doors creak, "Oh, here they come."

Asuna and Kazuto walked into the room, her arm wrapped around Kazuto's. They both had smiles on their faces as they slowly proceeded down the aisle.

As they walked, Kazuto spotted Klein and Agil looking over to him. Agil nodded and Klein gave him a thumbs up. Kazuto rolled his eyes, a smile never leaving his face.

Asuna saw the dreamy look in Keiko's eyes, showing how astounding she looked right now standing next to Kazuto. She then saw Kouichirou, smiling proudly at her. Asuna's blush deepened slightly as she continued down the aisle with the love of her life.

Just as they were about to reach the end of the aisle, the two of them spotted Yui, wearing the dress from her birthday. She had a huge smile on her face and was waving at them. The couple couldn't hold in a laugh at how adorable she was being and offered her a small wave each. They shared one final glance at each other before they arrived at the front of the room with the priest.

Everyone stood up as the priest began the purification of the couple. Kazuto and Asuna each stole a glance at the other, making a small smile appear on their faces.

Asuna's blush had persisted since she took Kazuto's arm, _"This is it. I'm minutes away from becoming Asuna Kirigaya... It's never felt as real as it does right now."_ She thought.

Kazuto's eyes went over to the priest, _"Man... This is so emotionally intense. It wasn't like this at all when I married Asuna in SAO... Guess I still have a lot to learn about this world."_ His eyes went back to Asuna for just a moment, _"But with you by my side, I'm not worried about a thing."_

Once the purification was over, the priest handed the couple a small bouquet of flowers, "Now you shall offer these flowers to the Gods." He instructed.

Asuna and Kazuto both took the flowers and placed it on the elevated pedestal and bowed their heads in prayer. After a brief moment, they reopened their eyes and returned to their original spot.

The priest smiled, "Before I recite the ancient Norito, the groom wishes to say a few words." He announced, surprising Asuna.

She looked to him, "Kirito, what's he talking about?" She wondered.

Kazuto smiled, "Well, I talked to him a few days ago, and he said he'd allow me to say a quick little speech I've been working on for you." He admitted embarrassingly. Asuna blushed as she nodded for him to proceed.

Kazuto took a deep breath, "Asuna, when I first met you, I honestly didn't know what to make of you. You were a total mystery, you wouldn't even show me your face. The only thing you told me about yourself, was that you didn't want to lose yourself to the virtual world that we had been trapped in."

Asuna smiled warmly. Touched at how he put in the effort to remember something from that long ago.

"The more I got to know you, the more I came to learn there was so much about you that's unlike anything I've seen before from anyone. And, before I knew it, I found myself growing more and more attracted to you, though, I admit, I had a pretty stupid way of showing it." He said with a slight chuckle.

Asuna couldn't help but chuckle as well, knowing he was referring to floor 74.

Kazuto continued, "But despite how bad I may have messed up, you stayed by me. You helped me fight some of my biggest fears, like being in a guild. You often told me that you owe me a lot, but the truth is that I'm the one that owes you. Without you, I don't think I would've turned out as well as I did." He took both of Asuna's hands into his own, "You've given me so much, Asuna. And I promise to spend my whole life to repay all the kindness you've given me. I love you Asuna."

Asuna's eyes welled up with tears of pure happiness. She had to use every ounce of willpower to stop herself from pouncing Kazuto. Kazuto happily wiped away the tears from her eyes.

The priest nodded, "And now, that the groom has said his piece, I shall recite the ancient Norito." He said, regaining everyone's attention.

He shut his eyes and folded his hands together, "Ugokanai to eien ni karera o shukufuku Jibun-tachi no seikatsu wa yutakana ki no yo nu han'ei suru koto ga arimasu. Karera wa, hanayome to hanamuko, issho ni tentochito wa, taiyo to tsuki to, hikari to kagayaki o atae tsudzukeru koto ga arimasu. Sokode wareware wa uyauyashiku inorun."

After the priest finished his chanting, he looked at the two, "I hereby pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Not needing to be told twice, he gripped Asuna's waist, yanked her close to him and kissed her with all the passion he had.

And Asuna met this with equal eagerness and passion. The moment their lips made impact, everyone cheered and applauded for the happy couple.

After the ritual was over everyone went outside, where the two were showered in congratulations from everyone.

Suguha offered her brother and new sister the best of luck before walking over to the buffet to get something to eat.

Shinichi saw this, and decided it was time to strike, _"It's now or never!"_ He thought.

He walked up behind her and tapped her shoulder. She turned to see him and smiled, "Hey Shini! You grabbing some grub too?" She asked.

Nagata shook his head, "Not at the moment, I actually really wanted to talk to you."

Suguha nodded, "Alright, what's up?"

Nagata took a deep breath, "Suguha, I've known you for a long time now, and I've grown to love you a lot... so, uh... I want to take the next step with you." He then gripped the item in his pocket and was about to reveal it.

Suguha saw his hand dive into his pocket and went wide-eyed, "Hold on a sec!" She exclaimed, making him freeze, "Look, Nagata, I really love you too, but... but I'm just not ready to get married yet." She then made a face of anger, "And on that note: What were you thinking?! This is my brother's wedding day! You can't just try to show him up by giving me a diamond-." She stopped when she noticed the item he was holding, "key?" She asked.

Shinichi nodded, "Y-yeah...I uh... found a really nice apartment... not too far from your house... I wanted to ask you to... move in with me..." He said, still reeling from Sugu's comment.

Suguha instantly felt guilty, "Oh my God, Shini, I'm so sorry about what I said!" She told him before offering a smile, "I guess I was just too scared to think straight."

Shinichi chuckled, "You were scared?" He asked with a smile on his face and a laugh in his throat, "Imagine how I feel! I can't get my knees to stop shaking." The two shared a good laugh over the both of their silly worries.

Nagata calmed himself down, "So yeah, and it's really no pressure. You don't even have to answer right-."

"Yes." She told him.

Shinichi blinked, "What?"

Suguha smiled brightly, "Yes. I'd love to move in with you."

Asuna, holding the bridal bouquet, had gotten herself in position to throw it. In front of her was every non-married girl that attended the wedding.

Asuna giggled slightly before closing her eyes and turning around. With a deep breath, she tossed the bouquet behind her.

Meanwhile, Suguha had just taken the key from Nagata, "Man you really scared me Nagata." She said lightly, "As much as I love you, the last thing on my mind is-."

She was cut off by a flash of color and the feel of something with a small amount of weight in her hands. Suguha blinked before looking at Shinichi, who was blushing brightly. Confused, Suguha followed his gaze to see what had caused it and she blushed as well.

She was holding the bouquet.

They stood there, awkwardly blushing. Neither one knowing what to say.

Just a few feet away, Klein- who had been watching the whole thing- had burst out laughing the moment the bouquet landed in her hands.

Once the crowd thinned a little bit, they saw Yui run up to them, "Mommy Daddy!" She yelled as she jumped onto her father, "Congrats Mommy and Daddy!"

The now married couple laughed as they both hugged their little girl. Kazuto grinned as she looked over to Asuna, "How are you feeling, my beautiful wife?" He asked.

Asuna blushed for the um-teenth time today, "Better than ever, my darling husband."

Yui rolled her eyes with a smile, "Can you two stop being so mushy?" She asked, generating another laugh from the two parents.

Asuna took Yui into her arms, "Alright, but on one condition." She told the child. She then flashed Yui a goofy smile, "You gotta promise to be extra good for your grandpa while your daddy and I are away on our trip."

Yui laughed with a big smile on her face, "You bet Mommy!"

As his two favorite girls laughed, Kazuto smiled, _"Incredible. I can't believe that my life has turned out this... perfect. And I'll do my best to keep it that way as I take a new step."_

(Ninja Writer: Curtain! That's it! The story has finally reached its end. I feel a mixture of both pride and sorrow about this. I'm grateful to GameLord The Hitman for giving me so much information on Japanese weddings. Couldn't have done it without ya pal! Also, for those of you who don't speak Japanese, the Norito that was used in this chapter is translated thusly:

"Bless them as unmoving and eternal May their lives flourish like luxuriant trees.

May they, bride and groom, together with heaven and earth, with the sun and the moon, continue to give out light and radiance. Thus, we do pray reverently."

And to those of you who do speak Japanese, I apologize for any misspellings. It was my first time typing in Japanese, but I think I did a damn good job for my first time. Anyways, to all of you loyal readers, you were absolutely awesome! I hope to hear your reviews in my next story, which will be announced at the end of the epilogue, so, for the last time of this trilogy, Read and Review!)


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

10 years later.

Kazuto and Asuna are sitting at their dining room table enjoying coffee together, when Yui runs down with her backpack, "Ok! I'm off to school!" She calls out. The two parents stand up to send their daughter off.

Asuna hugs Yui, "Have a good day at school!" She said.

Kazuto nodded, "Yeah, and if that Takashi boy tries anything, just be sure to use protection." He says jokingly.

Yui blushes, "DAD!" She exclaims, "God, do you have to be so embarrassing?"

He laughs, "Come on, you know I don't mean anything by it." He told her.

Yui couldn't help but smile as she hugged him, "Yeah, I know." She then bent down to Asuna's 7-month pregnant stomach, "And you behave yourself in there, little bro." She said playfully, generating a laugh from everyone.

Yui's laughter died down, "Ok, well I really gotta go now. Love you guys!" She said as she hurried out the door. Once she left, Asuna smiled warmly as she looked over to a picture that was taken right after Kazuto and Asuna returned from their honeymoon.

Asuna's smile grew when she saw Yui as a child, "Can you believe she was ever that young?" She asked.

Kazuto smiled and wrapped his arm around her, "Can you believe we were?" He said teasingly.

Asuna laughed lightly, "I'm serious! Look around us. Back then, we were sharing an apartment. Now we're living it up in a small mansion thanks to you and your game."

Kazuto graduated college with a programmer's degree, and with help from his entire circle of friends, he launched his own VRMMO called "AinCrad Online" or ACO. It was just like SAO-minus the being trapped in it for two years of course- except it worked on a skill system, rather than a level system. Critics found it to be revolutionary. SAO survivors went into it thinking it would have all of SAO's monsters, however Kazuto had created his own breed of monsters for his game. And put in his own personal quests. VRMMO's hadn't had a more successful game release in decades.

Kazuto smiled, "Not only that, but you've made quite the name for yourself too."

Asuna had decided to become a therapist for people who went through traumatic experiences through VR.

Asuna nodded, "And then of course, your sister." She commented.

Suguha, along with her husband Shinichi, brought her grandfather's kendo school back to life. She and Shinichi were co-masters at the school, and were teaching students both young and old their sword arts (no pun intended). Yui had decided to follow in their footsteps. She's become the star swordswoman at her school.

Kazuto looked out the window, "And we're not the only one's moving forward." He said, referring to their friends.

Rika had married Mako one and a half years ago, and recently gave birth to twin girls. Rika had managed to take her smith shop out of VR, and made it a real-life job. Of course, she doesn't forge swords, spears, and other weapons like that, she makes tools for department stores and other such buyers. Mako continues to be her material collector, and no matter what she'd have him go and find, you'd never hear him complain about his workload.

Klein had finally managed to find his perfect match, and had proposed to her just last month.

Kouichirou and Mei were no longer together. Things just wound up not working between them, however they remain good friends to this day. Kouichirou has been CEO of RECT in place of his father, and the company hasn't seen days better than these. Mei was working in an office job not too far from RECT, so the two would often meet up and chat.

Asuna smiled as she stood beside her husband, "Where did all the time go? It seems like just yesterday I had woken up from ALO."

Kazuto nodded, "I know. There were some pretty bad times along the way." He then smiled and took her hand in his, "But I wouldn't change a thing."

Asuna smiled before clenching her stomach as she groans, "Jeez! Roku's been kicking a lot lately." She said.

Kazuto's father had passed away of heart failure 2 years ago. And Kazuto wanted to name the baby after him, as a way to keep the man in their hearts. Asuna smiled and told him that it was a perfect name.

Kazuto chuckled, "Guess that proves it's a boy, huh?" He said as he lead Asuna to a chair, "I'll get you some tea." He told her.

Asuna smiled, "You're still the best, Kirito." As she said that, she couldn't help but chuckle. Through these ten years, Asuna's habit of calling him 'Kirito' had persisted. Sometimes she wondered why, but then remembered what she had told Midori, _"To me, he'll always be my Kirito!"_

(Ninja Writer: That's it! It's over! It's finally over... *sob* Gosh I'm just so proud of this story. *sob*

Crow (from 5Ds): Jeez, get a hold of yourself! You still have to announce your new project!

Luna: Yeah! Come on! Tell them!

Ninja Writer: *sniffles* You're right guys. My next project is a Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds fanfiction. It mainly focuses on two OC's.

Leo: Who? Who are they?

Ninja Writer: You'll meet them soon enough. And so will all of you marvelous readers! Keep your eyes peeled for...

Yusei and Akiza: Revving Up the Next Generation!

Ninja Writer: You readers have been spectacular, I'm honored that you all enjoyed this so much. Expect chapter one of my new story in one week!

Entire SAO trilogy cast: Thanks for reading everyone!)


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